
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 



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Chapc_z££?Copyright No, 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA 



A BRIEF TEXT BOOK FOR SCHOOLS 



BY 

ROYALL BASCOM SMITHEY, A.M. 

PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS, RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE 



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NEW YORK ■:• CINCINNATI •:• CHICAGO 

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 



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9303 



Copyright, 1898, by 
ROYALL BASCOM SMITHEY. 



HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 

W. P. I 




.CEIVED. 



398 



&o JHg HHife 

ANNIE SHACKELFORD SMITHEY 

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK 



PREFACE 



In this volume, I have endeavored to present in a clear 
and connected manner the leading facts in the history of 
Virginia. The materials have been drawn from the most 
reliable authorities, and much time has been spent in com- 
paring them so as to render the narrative as accurate as 
possible. In the colonial period, the richness of the 
sources of information proved a continual embarrassment ; 
and I found myself compelled to leave out many, interest- 
ing incidents, to prevent the book from exceeding the 
well-defined limits within which a state history for school 
use should be kept. 

Virginia was the cradle of the English race in America, 
and for this reason her history is of more than ordinary 
interest. Besides this, the great variety of romantic and 
important events that have taken place within her bor- 
ders, the immortal characters that have been nurtured 
upon her soil, and the unswerving manner in which her 
people have always contended for their rights, render her 
history specially worthy of being studied. Of all the emo- 
tions that stir the human soul, love of country is one of 

7 



8 PREFACE 

the noblest; and near akin to it is reverence for one's 

ancestors. If this little book shall have the happy effect 

of increasing the patriotism of young people, and of 

causing them to appreciate more highly the deeds of their 

forefathers, the author will feel amply repaid for his 

labor. 

R. B. SMITHEY. 

Randolph-Macon College, Va. 



CONTENTS 



INTRODUCTION 

PAGE 

The First Inhabitants 15 

The Indians of Virginia: Appearance; Their Character; Weapons; 
Wigwams; Habits and Customs; Indian Warfare; Running the 
Gantlet; Education; How they looked upon Self-control; Sea- 
sons and Festivals; Religion; Powhatan. 



FIRST PERIOD— THE COLONY 

CHAPTER I 

Early Attempts at Colonization 25 

Importance of Virginia History; Why Virginia was Settled; Early 
Explorers; Sir Walter Raleigh's Exploring Party; Origin of the 
Name Virginia; First Roanoke Island Colony; The Lost Colony. 

CHAPTER II 

Jamestown 33 

Renewed Interest in Virginia; The London and the Plymouth Com- 
panies; The First American Charter; The Beginners of the Na- 
tion; The Departure; The Voyage; The First Virginia Council; 
Exploring; Location of Jamestown Chosen; A Fort Built. 



CHAPTER III 

A Typical Pioneer 

Early History of Captain John Smith; Visit to Powhatan; An Un- 
expected Calamity; Half Survive; Supposed Breadth of North 
America; Smith a Captive; His Rescue; Various Events; Smith 
explores the Chesapeake Bay; Change of Rulers; Promises that 
could not be Fulfilled; A New Charter; The New Emigrants 
arrive, but the New Government does not ; New Settlements; 
Smith leaves Virginia; His Character. 

9 



39 



IO CONTEXTS 

CHAPTER IV 

PAGE 

The Starving Time — The Administrations of Delaware, Dale, 

and Argall 49 

The Starving Time; The Wreck of the Sea Venture ; The Rescue; 
Administration of Lord Delaware; Sir Thomas Dale; Results 
accomplished by Dale; Argall. 

CHAPTER V 

Pocahontas 54 

Her Friendship for the English; Her Capture; Her Marriage; 
The Cause of Peace; Visits England; Her Death. 

CHAPTER VI 

The Founding of a State 57 

The Crisis of Colonization; Triumph of Patriotic Motives; The 
Great Charter; Good Results; Homes in the Wilderness; Intro- 
duction of Negro Slavery; Indented Servants; Friendly Inter- 
course with the Indians; The Massacre of 1622; Effects of the 
Massacre; Retaliation. 

CHAPTER VII 
Tobacco 64 

How regarded by the Indians; Introduced into England; The 
Foundation of Virginia's Prosperity; Led to a Fondness for 
Country Life. 

CHAPTER VIII 

The Colony under the King 66 

Virginia becomes a Royal Colony; Lord Baltimore; Opposition to 
British Encroachment; Sir William Berkeley begins his Adminis- 
tration; Opechancanough strikes Once More. 

CHAPTER IX 

The Colony under the Commonwealth 71 

Execution of Charles I.; The Colony Loyal to Charles II.; The 
Coming of the Cavaliers; The Commonwealth asserts its Author- 
ity; The Colony prospers during the Time of the Commonwealth. 

CHAPTER X 

The Restoration takes Place, and the Loyal Colony is Op- 
pressed till it is Ready to Revolt 75 

The Restoration; Berkeley's return to Power; Why attached to 
Royalty; The Navigation Laws; The Royalists in Power in the 
Colony; Oppressive Colonial Legislation; Obstinacy of Berkeley ; 
Criminal Prodigality of Charles II.; Ready for revolt. 



CONTENTS 1 1 



CHAPTER XI page 

Bacon's Rebellion 81 

Tustice too long delayed; Indian Troubles; The People's Leader; 
Declared to be Rebels; Berkeley makes Concessions; A New 
House of Burgesses; Bacon's Arrest and Apology; Bacon's Flight 
and Return; Bacon before the Burgesses; Berkeley takes Refuge 
in Accomac; The Convention at Middle Plantation; The Indians 
defeated and dispersed; Berkeley's Return to Jamestown; De- 
struction of Jamestown; Death of Bacon; Collapse of the Rebel- 
lion; Berkeley's Revenge; Berkeley's Recall and Death. 

CHAPTER XII 

From Bacon's Rebellion to the French and Indian War . . 93 
After Bacon's Rebellion; The Tobacco Rebellion; Governors not 
interested in the People; Good Effects of the English Revolution 
of 1688; The Coming of the Huguenots; The Close of the Sev- 
enteenth Century; Alexander Spotswood; Spotswood crosses the 
Blue Ridge; Richmond and Petersburg founded; Settlement of 
the Valley. 

CHAPTER XIII 

The French and Indian War 100 

The Question of Supremacy; The Plan of France; The English 
Plan; Protest from Virginia; The Envoy selected; The Journey 
and the Result; The Opening of Hostilities; England sends Gen- 
eral Braddock to Virginia; Braddock's Defeat; Predatory Inroads 
on the Frontier; Virginia defends her Frontiers; End of the War. 

CHAPTER XIV 

Colonial Life 107 

Its Golden Age; Classes that formed Society; Life on a Large 
Plantation; Life of the Planter; Life of a Planter's Wife; The 
"Great House"; Furniture; The Kitchen; Food; The Negro 
Quarters; Relation of Master and Servant; Dress; Education; 
Roads; Advantages of the Plantation Life. 

SECOND PERIOD — FROM THE REVOLUTION 
TO THE CIVIL WAR 

CHAPTER XV 

Causes that led to the Revolution 121 

Condition of the Colony after the War with France; Opposition to 
the King's Prerogative; The Parsons' Case; Power of Parlia- 
ment; The Stamp Act; Patrick Henry's Resolutions; Repeal of 
the Stamp Act; A Second Attempt at Taxation; The Virginia 
Resolves; The Non-Importation Agreement; The Duties re- 



I 2 CONTENTS 

PAGE 

pealed except the one on Tea; Committee of Correspondence; 
Destruction of the Tea at Boston; Virginia espouses the Cause 
of Massachusetts; The First Congress. 

CHAPTER XVI 

The Last Eventful Years of Lord Dunmore's Administration . 130 
Lord Dunmore's War; Battle of Point Pleasant; The Prophetic 
Words of Patrick Henry; The First Clash of Arms; The Gun- 
powder; Flight of Lord Dunmore; Provisional Government 
organized; Dunmore's Ravages. 

CHAPTER XVII 

The Revolution — from its Beginning to Burgoyne's Surrender 137 
Operations at the North ; Washington appointed Commander in 
chief: Washington's Appointment a Political Necessity; Virginia 
takes an Active Part in the War; First Period of the War; Vir- 
ginia takes Action for Independence; Bill of Rights; Adoption 
of a Constitution; Congress adopts the Declaration of Indepen- 
dence; Virginia among the First; A Seal adopted; Religious 
Liberty; The Law of Primogeniture; A Dictator proposed; 
Washington restores Confidence; Burgoyne's Invasion; Morgan 
and his Riflemen; Burgoyne's Surrender. 

CHAPTER XVIII 

The Last Years of the Revolution 150 

The War in the South; The British attack Virginia; Benedict 
Arnold in Virginia; Lafayette; The Virginians at King's Moun- 
tain; Morgan at Cowpens; Virginia becomes the Seat of War; 
Maneuvers of Comwallis and Lafayette; Cornwallis Entrapped; 
Siege of Yorktown; Peace at Last; Governor Nelson. 

CHAPTER XIX 

Virginia's Conquest of her Northwest Territory . . .158 
British Occupation of the Northwest Territory; "The Hannibal of 
the West"; Capture of Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes; 
Clarke gets Control over the Indians; The British recapture Vin- 
cennes; Clarke surprises Hamilton; Civil Government organized; 
Importance of the Conquest. 

CHAPTER XX 

Virginia in the Union 163 

Virginia cedes her Northwest Territory; Boundary Dispute between 
Virginia and Pennsylvania; Virginia leads the Movement for a 
more Perfect Union; The Constitution Ratified; Virginia pro- 
poses another Revision; The Alien and Sedition Laws; The 



CONTENTS 1 3 



PAGE 



175 



Great Virginian; Period of Prosperity; "The Mother of States 
and of Statesmen"; Burning of the Richmond Theater; War of 
1812; What Virginians did for the Union; "The Pathfinder of 
the Sea"; Virginia's Influence upon Other States. 

CHAPTER XXI 
Slavery 

Encouraged by England; Attitude of Virginia; New England's 
Connection with Slavery; Change of Feeling at the North in 
regard to Slavery; Gabriel's Insurrection; Nat Turner's Insurrec- 
tion; Sentiment in Virginia in Later Times; Fugitive Slaves; 
John Brown's Raid; Brown captured and executed; Report of 
the Senate Committee; Political Significance of Brown's Attack. 



THIRD PERIOD — FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO 
THE PRESENT TIME 

CHAPTER XXII 

Approach of the Civil War 183 

The Constitution Ambiguous; The State-Rights Theory; The 
National Theory; Which was the True Theory? The First Threats 
of Secession; Virginia and the South; The North and the West; 
Reasons why the South wished to secede. 

CHAPTER XXIII 

The Beginning of the Civil War 189 

Secession of the Cotton States ; Virginia's Effort for Peace; Diplo- 
macy; Capture of Fort Sumter; War now Inevitable; Secession 
of Virginia; Her Heroic Action; Actions of Other States; Re- 
turn of Virginians; Distinguished Leaders who came to Virginia; 
Military Ardor; Virginia dismembered. 

CHAPTER XXIV 

The First Movement against Richmond 199 

Events that will be Recorded; " On to Richmond ! "; Preparations 
for Defense: Opening of Hostilities in Virginia; Battle of 
Manassas: The Victory not Followed up; Situation at the End 
of 1 86 1 ; Resources of the Two Sections. 

CHAPTER XXV 

Campaigns of 1862 205 

The Virginia; Battle between the Virginia and the Monitor; Plan 
of the Peninsular Campaign; Jackson's Valley Campaign; Battle 
of Seven Pines; The Seven Days' Battles; Second Manassas; 



14 CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Invasion of Maryland; Battle of Sharpsburg; Distinguished Eng- 
lishmen visit Lee; Battle of Fredericksburg. 

CHAPTER XXVI 

From Chancellorsville to Gettysburg 214 

Chancellorsville; Death of Stonewall Jackson; Brandy Station; 
Battle of Gettysburg; The Turning Point in the War. 

CHAPTER XXVII 

Lee and Grant 219 

The Raid of Kilpatrick and Dahlgren; General Grant; The " Ham- 
mering Campaign"; Battles of the Wilderness; Lee's General- 
ship; Butler Imprisoned; Defeat of Sigel at New Market; Early 
defeats Hunter, and threatens Washington; Sheridan's Devasta- 
tion of the Valley; Siege of Petersburg; Battle of the Crater; 
Situation at the End of 1864. 

CHAPTER XXVIII 

End of the War 230 

Evacuation of Richmond and Petersburg; The Conflagration in 
Richmond; Surrender of General Lee; General Grant's Generous 
Spirit: General Lee taking Leave of his Army; Downfall of the 
Confederacy; No Trials of Confederate Leaders; Supremacy of 
the Nation; Abolition of Slavery; The Army of Northern Vir- 
ginia; A Northern Tribute to Virginia. 

CHAPTER XXIX 

Reconstruction and Restoration 238 

Condition of Virginia after the W 7 ar; Suspension of Civil Govern- 
ment; Provisional Government established; Refused Readmis- 
sion into the Union; Under Military Rule; The Rule of 
" Carpet-baggers" and " Scallawags"; In the Union Again; The 
Freedmen's Bureau; Wreck of the Plantation System; Spirit of 
the People. 

CHAPTER XXX 

Recent Times 245 

Capitol Disaster; Last Days of General Lee; Public School Sys- 
tem; Higher and Technical Education; Yorktown Centennial; 
The State Debt; Virginia at the World's Fair; The White House 
of the Confederacy; Patriotism of Virginia Women; Patriotic 
Societies; Governors since the War; Resources; Progress; De- 
velopment of Literature; Virginia honors her Great Men; Con- 
clusion. 

APPENDIX 257 

INDEX 271 



HISTORY OF VIRGINIA 

INTRODUCTION 

THE FIRST INHABITANTS 

The Indians of Virginia. — When the territory now 
included in Virginia was first settled by the English, it 
was occupied by an Indian population numbering about 
ten thousand, divided among more than forty clans or 
tribes. Each of these was ruled over by a chief ; and 
about thirty of them were united in a loose confederacy 
under a head-chief named Powhatan. There were also two 
smaller confederacies and a few scattering tribes which 
maintained their independence. All the Virginia Indians 
belonged to the great Algonkin 1 family. 

Appearance. — The Virginia Indians were manly in ap- 
pearance, being tall, straight, and well-proportioned. They 
were copper-colored, had high cheek bones, piercing black 

1 The Algonkin Indians occupied the eastern coast of North America from 
the St. Lawrence River to North Carolina, and in the interior nearly all the 
territory that was south of the Great Lakes and east of the Mississippi. All 
the Algonkin Indians had similar customs and spoke cognate languages. The 
origin of the Indians is unknown. They possessed no written history, and 
their traditions as to their ancestors were conflicting. The theory that at a 
very remote age they reached America from Asia by way of Bering Strait 
has many advocates, and is possibly true. America, when first discovered, 
was supposed to be a part of India, and for this reason the aboriginal inhabi- 
tants were called "Indians" by the early explorers. 

l 5 



i6 



INTRODUCTION 



eyes, and coarse black hair. The women wore their hair 
long and allowed it to hang over their shoulders. The 
men cut theirs short on one side, but let it grow long on 
the other. On the top of their heads, they carefully pre- 
served a lock or ridge, like a cock's comb, which was 
called the scalp lock. This was the warrior's pride and 

his token of defiance to his ene- 
mies, whom he dared to take it. 
Their clothing was made chiefly 
of the skins of the deer, the 
raccoon, the beaver, and the 
otter. Their shoes were made 
of buckskin, and were called 
moccasins. They possessed in 
a high degree the fondness for 
ornaments and toys that has 
been observed in all savages. 
They tattooed their bodies with 
representations of flowers, fruits, 
and birds, and adorned them- 
selves with handsome mantles 
made of curiously interwoven 
feathers, which were dyed red 
or blue, as fancy dictated. Their 
heads and shoulders they painted 
red, with the juice of the blood- 
root plant; and both men and women wore necklaces of 
beads and pearls. Altogether, they were a curious and 
picturesque looking race. 

Their Character. — Bravery and fortitude were good 
qualities which the Indians generally possessed. But they 
were cruel, vindictive, and treacherous. They had no laws 
to restrain evil doers ; and so, when a man was wronged 




THE FIRST INHABITANTS 



7 



by another, he had to punish the offender himself. In this 
way, the spirit of revenge was so cultivated that it became 
an Indian's pride never to forget an injury. He would 
carefully conceal his resentment, while he waited long 
years for an opportunity to wreak his vengeance ; and 
when it came, he would execute the penalty with interest. 
Thus it happened that among them it was the custom to 
return evil for evil. Their training gave them no idea 
of the golden rule ; and so they knew not how to render 
good for evil, though at times they would repay kindness 
with kindness. 

Weapons. — Bows and arrows, stone hatchets, called 
tomahawks, stone knives, wooden spears and clubs con- 




Indian Weapons 

stituted their chief weapons. In hunting, they depended 
mainly upon the bow and arrow, which by constant prac- 
tice they learned to use with great skill. They could dis- 
charge their arrows with so much force that they were 
able to bring down their game at a distance of more than 
a hundred yards. The arrows were winged with turkey 
feathers and had heads made of stone. Specimens of these 
arrowheads are still found in Virginia. 

Wigwams. — The Indians dwelt in villages, chiefly along 
the banks of the numerous rivers that flow through Vir- 
ginia. They constructed their cabins, which were called 
wigwams, by driving stakes in the ground and fastening 

VIRG. HIST. — 2 



i8 



INTRODUCTION 



them together at the top by means of bent poles. They 
covered them with reeds, bark, and skins. These rude 
houses were sometimes fifty or a hundred feet long ; and 
some of them exhibited a slight advance toward civiliza- 
tion by being divided into separate 
rooms. At the top, a small open- 
ing was left for smoke to escape. 
If the fire on the hearth went 
entirely out, this was regarded 
by the women as an evil omen, 
and accordingly it was rarely al- 
lowed to occur. For chairs the 
Indians used mats, and for beds 
they constructed raised platforms, 
which were covered with mats 
and skins. 

Habits and Customs. — They en- 
gaged in agriculture to a limited 
extent, cultivating corn, beans, and tobacco. As they 
possessed no iron or steel instruments to fell the forests, 
where their crops were to be planted, they girdled the 
trees with stone hatchets, cutting the bark away in a 
ring, which stopped the flow of the sap and caused the 
trees to die. This practice, which originated with the 
savages, is still used in parts of Virginia. All work was 
performed by women, or squaws, as they were called, 
the men spending their time in hunting, fishing, and in 
fighting their enemies. When the Indians went off on 
long hunting expeditions, the women carried the burdens, 
and when the day drew to a close cut down saplings and 
built arbors, while the warriors looked complacently on, 
smoking their pipes, or else practiced shooting at tar- 




Wigwams 



THE FIRST INHABITANTS 19 

Indian Warfare. — The savages were usually in a state 
of warfare with tribes that were hostile to them. They 
never fought a pitched battle, nor did they contend in an 
open field, but depended upon strategy, surprises, and silent 
approaches. Their method was to entrap their enemies 
in ambuscades, or else to creep upon them in Indian file, 
and attack them unexpectedly. Prisoners, especially women 







■ A* ' 








W > 


Mj>f!: 




W 1 


WiMm 


mBSmr 


H ■' ' . : - 1 



Running the Gantlet 

and children, were frequently adopted into the tribe, but 
many were tortured to death. 

Running the Gantlet. — A favorite method of torture, 
called running the gantlet, was to compel a captive to run 
between two rows of warriors, each of whom would strike 
him with a club or knife, as he passed along. At times, 
a prisoner would escape torture if he showed bravery in a 
high degree, so much did the savages value this quality. 



20 INTRODUCTION 

A marked example of this occurred in the case of General 
Stark of New Hampshire. The Indians captured him, 
and decided that he must run the gantlet. Stark saw 
death staring him in the face ; but as he started, he 
snatched a club from one of the savages, and swinging it 
right and left, rushed on between the lines of astonished 
warriors, laying them out as he went along. Thus he 
passed through the ordeal almost unhurt. The savages 
loudly applauded his daring, and the old men laughed 
at the young braves who had been so unceremoniously 
knocked over. Instead of torturing Stark again, they 
bestowed upon him the honors of a hero. 

Education. — The Indians were quick of apprehension 
and ingenious. They learned what they could from nature, 
finding out the habits of animals and discovering the prop- 
erties of plants. Nothing escaped their notice. So well 
did they train their ears and eyes, that, in the forests, they 
could hear sounds and see sights which could not be per- 
ceived by a white man ; and they could travel with ease 
for miles in a straight line through the thickest woods. 
The boys and girls were taught how to make earthen pots, 
to fashion stone hatchets and arrowheads, and to manu- 
facture beads out of the shells found on the seacoast. 
Beyond such rude arts as these, their education did not ex- 
tend. Their idea of numbers was very limited. It is said 
that some of them could count only ten, while others could 
reckon a thousand. "As numerous as pigeons in the 
woods or as the stars in the heavens," was the way they 
expressed a large number. Some years after the English 
arrived at Jamestown, Powhatan sent Tomocomo, one 
of his chiefs, over to England with instructions to find 
out the population of the country. Tomocomo carried 
alonsr with him a bundle of sticks, and he was ordered to 



THE FIRST INHABITANTS 21 

cut a notch for every Englishman he met. The story 
tells us that he diligently followed his instructions till he 
reached London, when, amazed by the multitude he saw 
thronging the streets, his arithmetic failed him, and, throw- 
ing away his sticks, he gave up the undertaking. 

How they Looked upon Self-control. — From infancy, 
they were taught to bear pain patiently and silently. The 
boys played a game of " Choosing Chief," in which each 
one would press a live coal to his naked body in order to 
see who could hold it there the longest, and the successful 
one was honored by being selected leader. A story told 
by an early missionary, also illustrates the value which 
the savages placed upon self-control. A great bear was 
wounded by an Indian, and groaned piteously as he lay 
on the ground. The Indian, hearing this, addressed him 
as follows : " Bear, you are a coward and no warrior. 
Your tribe and mine are at war, and yours began it. Had 
you wounded me, I should not have uttered a sound, while 
here you are bringing disgrace upon your tribe." 

Seasons and Festivals. — They counted their years by 
winters, which they called " Cohonks," from the shrill cry 
of the migratory wild geese, which they heard as cold 
weather approached. They held a number of feasts, such 
as, one for the coming of the wild fowl, one for the return 
of the hunting season, and one for the ripening of certain 
fruits. But their greatest festival took place at the time 
when they gathered corn. This lasted some days and 
was frequently participated in by the inhabitants of several 
villages. On this occasion, the warriors boasted that, as 
their corn had been gathered, which furnished food enough 
for the women and children, they were free to hunt, seek 
new adventures, or go to war, as they fancied. So they 
rejoiced, sang heroic songs, and danced. The historian, 



22 INTRODUCTION 

Beverley, describes a festival dance, saying that it is 
executed by the " dancers themselves forming a ring, and 
moving around a circle of carved posts, that are set up for 
that purpose, or else round a fire, made in a convenient 
part of the town ; and then each has his rattle in his hand, 
or what other thing he fancies most, as his bows and 
arrows, or his tomahawk. They also dress themselves up 
with branches of trees, or some other strange accoutre- 
ments. Thus they proceed, dancing and singing, with all 
the antic postures they can invent, and he is the bravest 
fellow that has the most prodigous gestures." 

Religion. — The Indians are represented as believing 
that when death came they went " beyond the mountains 
towards the setting sun." One of the earliest writers 1 on 
Virginia says they believed in "the immortality of the soul, 
when, life departing from the body, according to the good 
or bad works it hath done, it is carried up to the taber- 
nacles of the gods to perpetual happiness, or to Popogusso, 
a great pit, which they think to be at the farthest parts of 
the world where the sun sets, and there burn continually." 
They held that it was unnecessary to pray to a good god, 
for the reason that he would not injure them anyway, but 
that with the spirit of evil it was different. He might 
do them harm and so should be appeased. They called 
him Kiwassa or Okee, and directed their worship to him. 
They had a legend that once Kiwassa had been on earth ; 
the foundation of the legend is as follows : Below Rich- 
mond, about a mile from the James River, there are to be 
seen on a rock some impressions of unknown origin. 
They look like the footprints of a giant. To these the 
Indians pointed, and claimed that they were made by 
Kiwassa when he came among them. 

1 Thomas Heriot, who went to Virginia with Ralph Lane. 



THE FIRST INHABITANTS 



23 



Powhatan. — Powhatan inherited a part of the dominion 
over which he ruled, and the rest he acquired by conquest. 
He was among the Indians a kind of rude Napoleon, 
who had, by conquering tribe after tribe, so increased his 
ancestral domain that he had risen to some degree of 
kingly dignity and power. He accomplished this by his 
bravery, energy, and wisdom. He not only possessed 
some of the better qualities of human nature, but at times 
displayed touches of prince- 
ly magnanimity. From his 
followers, he exacted many 
ceremonial observances, and 
he ruled over them with the 
authority of a despot. A 
body-guard of braves at- 
tended him by day, and at 
night sentinels guarded his 
dwelling while he slept. In 
1607, when the history of 
Virginia really opens, this 
monarch of the forest was 
about sixty years old. " His 
head was somewhat hoary, 
which, together with his stat- 
ure, carriage, and countenance, gave him an air of savage 
majesty." Naturally he viewed the coming of the English 
into his domain with alarm ; but he was too shrewd and 
politic to make open war upon them, and so he ended his 
days in the land of his ancestors. Better would it have been 
for the Indians of Virginia, had Powhatan's successors fol- 
lowed his example. But instead of doing this, they arrayed 
themselves against the incoming civilization, and brought 
on a contest which ended in the destruction of their race. 




24 INTRODUCTION 



QUESTIONS 

1. How many Indians did the English find in Virginia, and what is 

said of their clans or tribes? 

2. To what great family did they belong? 

3. Describe the appearance of the Virginia Indians. 

4. Of what did their clothes consist, and how did they show their love 

of ornament ? 

5. Give an estimate of the character of the Indian. 

6. Why was it their custom to return evil for evil? 

7. Describe their weapons. 

8. How did they construct their wigwams? 

9. Why did they never allow the fire to go out? 

10. What did they use for chairs and beds? 

1 1 . What products did they cultivate, and how did they clear their 

lands? 

12. What is said of the women or squaws? 

13. What was their method of warfare? 

14. Explain what was meant by "running the gantlet." 

15. What did they learn from nature? 

16. What rude arts did they teach their children? 

17. Did they have much idea of numbers? 

18. On what mission did Powhatan send Tomocomo to London? 

19. Give illustrations of how they regarded self-control. 

20. How did they count years, and from what was the name derived? 

21 . Describe their chief festival. 

22. Their festival dance. 

23. What was the belief of the Indians? 

24. Why did they pray to the evil spirit? 

25. What legend had they as to their god, Kiwassa? 

26. What was Powhatan's position among them? 

27. How did he view the coming of the English? 



FIRST PERIOD — THE COLONY 



CHAPTER I 

EARLY ATTEMPTS AT COLONIZATION 

Importance of Virginia History. — The history of the 
English race in America begins with Virginia. Much 
romantic interest clusters around the first settlement of 
this famous state, whose soil became the birthplace of a 
great nation ; and a narration of the adventures and deeds 
of her people constitutes one of the most important parts 
of the annals of our country. 

Why Virginia was Settled. — Toward the close of the six- 
teenth century, a strong desire to take part in the conquest 
and settlement of America began to stir the hearts of 
the English people. To increase trade, to bring heathen 
peoples under the influence of the Gospel, to have a colony 
where the surplus of the home population might go, and to 
check the rising power of Spain were the chief reasons 
that made England look with longing eyes upon America. 
Then, too, to found a nation upon the virgin soil of the 
New World was in itself an attractive thing to the brave, 
ardent, and restless English people. 

Early Explorers. — In 1492, Columbus 1 discovered the 

1 Christopher Columbus, born in Genoa in 1436, or as others say, in 1446, 
was the son of a wool comber. At the early age of fourteen he evinced such 
a fondness for the sea that he was allowed to become a sailor. He con- 

25 



26 THE COLONY 

Bahama Islands, and then later the West Indies and South 
America, but he did not reach the continent of North Amer- 
ica. In 1497, John Cabot, who commanded an English 
fleet, touched upon the mainland, and took possession of 
it in the name of England. Upon this fact, England 
based her claim to a part of the country ; but nearly a 
hundred years passed away before she made any effort to 
secure it. In 1576, however, Sir Martin Frobisher made 
an ineffectual effort to plant a colony; and in 1583, Sir 
Humphrey Gilbert made another, in which he lost his life. 
Sir Walter Raleigh's Exploring Party. — After the death 
of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, his half-brother, Sir Walter 
Raleigh, 1 took up the subject of colonization in earnest, 

ceived the idea that India could be reached by sailing west from Europe. The 
wise men of that day said : "It is absurd. Who is so foolish as to believe that 
there are people on the other side of the world, walking with their heels up- 
ward and their heads hanging down? And then, how can a ship get there? 
The torrid zone, through which it must pass, is a region of fire, where the 
very waves boil. And even if a ship could perchance get around there safely, 
how could it get back? Can a ship sail uphill?" But Columbus, paying no 
attention to such criticisms, persisted for ten years in trying to induce some 
European government to send him on a voyage of discovery across the Atlan- 
tic, which was then called the "Sea of Darkness." Finally he succeeded in 
getting aid from Queen Isabella of Spain, who furnished him with three small 
vessels called Santa Maria, Pinta, and Nina. The expedition sailed from 
Palos, and after a very eventful voyage, on October 12, 1492, touched on an 
island belonging to what is now called the Bahama group. As soon as Colum- 
bus landed he fell upon his knees and offered thanks to God. He then took 
possession of the land for Spain. On his return to Europe he was received 
with great honors by Ferdinand and Isabella. He made a second voyage to 
America and founded a colony in Hayti, of which he was appointed governor. 
His enemies, from jealousy, maligned him at the court of Spain, so he was 
deposed and sent back home in chains. Queen Isabella soon had him released, 
but he never recovered from the mortification, and died a sad and disappointed 
old man. 

1 Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) was a distinguished soldier and states- 
man during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. He was also a bold mariner, 



EARLY ATTEMPTS AT COLONIZATION 



27 



and he readily obtained from Queen Elizabeth, who was 
much interested in the colonization of America, letters 
patent that gave him all the authority he needed. So he 
equipped an exploring party, which in April, 1584, he sent 
out in two ships under 
the command of Philip 
Amidas and Arthur Bar- 
low. This expedition 
reached the coast of 
North Carolina in July ; 
and the adventurers 
landed on an island, 
called by the Indians 
Wocokon, near stormy 
Cape Hatteras. Several 
days passed, and then 
some Indians visited 
them and entertained 
them in the most hospi- 
table manner. The English discovered and explored the 
island of Roanoke, and after remaining till September, 
they returned to England and gave a most glowing de- 
scription of the country. 

Origin of the Name Virginia. — The voyagers to the new 
land said that it was the " most plentiful, sweet, whole- 

and on account of his fondness for voyaging, was called the " Shepherd of the 
Ocean." He won the favor of Queen Elizabeth by his chivalrous attention, 
and was one of the most attractive and gallant of her courtiers. For seventeen 
years he was a member of Parliament, and he was one of the commanders of 
the English fleet that defeated the Spanish Armada. The Spaniards were 
bitterly hostile to Raleigh, and to please them James I. had him arrested. 
After thirteen years of imprisonment, he was condemned to death and be- 
headed. He spent forty thousand pounds of his own money on the colonies 
he sent out. His name is still held in grateful remembrance in Virginia. 




Raleigh 



2% THE COLONY 

some, and fruitful of all other." Marvelous stories were 
told about the country in the West. There the fruits were 
more luscious, the flowers more beautiful, the trees taller, 
the mountains more majestic, than any ever before seen. 
There, too, the rivers ran over golden beds, and the Foun- 
tain of Youth, which removed all traces of age and disease, 
poured forth its crystal waters. At last, the western para- 
dise foreshadowed by the myths of ancient times had been 
discovered ! Such were the reports of the first explorers, 
fancy furnishing what facts failed to supply. When Queen 
Elizabeth, who took pride in being called England's Virgin 
Queen, heard such charming accounts of the new land, 
she named it after herself, Virginia. 

As to the boundaries of the country, these an old writer 
described as follows : " The bounds thereof on the East 
side are the ocean, on the South lieth Florida, on the North 
Nova Francia [Canada], as for the West thereof the limits 
are unknown." Since the " South Sea," which was another 
name for the Pacific Ocean, was supposed to be but a few 
hundred miles away, this was usually taken as the western 
boundary. As time passed, the domain called Virginia was 
continually made smaller, till finally the name was restricted 
to what is now embraced in the two Virginias. 

First Roanoke Island Colony. — Sir Walter Raleigh now 
made preparations for what he intended to be a perma- 
nent settlement. In April, 1585, he sent out a fleet of 
seven ships under the command of Sir Richard Grenville, 
which carried to Virginia a colony of 108 persons, Ralph 
Lane being the governor. These landed on Roanoke 
Island, and made a settlement. They inquired of the 
Indians the name of the country, and one of the savages 
exclaimed, " Wingandacon ! " — " You wear good clothes ! " 
They understood this to mean, "the good land"; and so 



EARLY ATTEMPTS AT COLONIZATION 29 

the coast of North Carolina was called Wingandacon. 
They also understood the Indians to say that the Roanoke 
River sprang from a rock so near the " South Sea," that 
storms often dashed the waves into the spring from which 
it gushed, and that at this place there was an abundance 
of gold and precious stones. So Lane and some of his 
men set out to find the "South Sea," and continued their 
quest till they were forced to eat their dogs, to keep from 
dying of hunger. When they returned, they found the 
colony in great need and the Indians becoming hostile. 
At this critical juncture, an unexpected opportunity came 
for the settlers to return to England. In May, 1586, Sir 
Francis Drake touched at Roanoke Island with his fleet, 
and, yielding to the solicitations of the colonists, took 
them all back to England. They carried with them many 
interesting particulars about the nature of the new country, 
and much information in regard to the habits, manners, 
and government of the Indians, which had been collected 
by several learned and accomplished men who were mem- 
bers of the colony ; but the greatest advantage that came 
from this expedition was the discovery of the Chesapeake 
Bay. It was in June that the settlers departed ; and in 
the following August, Sir Richard Grenville came bringing 
for them fresh supplies, but found the island deserted. So 
he left fifteen men to hold possession of it ; but these were 
doubtless slain by Indians, as they were never heard of 
afterwards. 

The Lost Colony. — The settlement of Virginia was dear 
to Sir Walter Raleigh's heart; and in May, 1587, he dis- 
patched another expedition, consisting of three vessels, 
which carried 116 persons, among whom were a number 
of men with their wives and children. Their plan was to 
found on the Chesapeake Bay a city to be called Raleigh ; 



30 THE COLONY 

but they were turned from their purpose, and landed on 
Roanoke Island, where they saw the bones of a man on 
the shore, and deer feeding around the deserted homes of 
the former -occupants. They found the Indians bitterly 
hostile. This caused gloomy forebodings to fill their 
minds, and made them feel so strongly their dependence 
upon the mother country and their need of frequent aid 
from her, that, after several months had passed, they 
urged their governor, John White, to go to England for 
fresh supplies. To this he reluctantly consented, and in 
August, 1587, set sail, telling them that if for any reason 
they changed their location before his return, to carve upon 
some prominent object the name of the place to which 
they had gone, and above it a cross if they went away 
in distress. He left his daughter, the wife of Ananias 
Dare, who just a few days before his departure had given 
birth to an infant, christened Virginia. This was the first 
white child born in North America. He could have given 
no stronger pledge of his speedy return than he did in 
leaving his loved ones behind him. But in vain did the 
expectant colonists look for him. He found all England 
ablaze with excitement over the threatened invasion of the 
Spanish Armada. An attempt was made to send relief 
to the colony, but it proved unsuccessful ; for the Atlantic 
was swarming with Spanish ships of war ; and not till 
August 15, 1590, did Governor White again reach Roa- 
noke Island. He found some tracks in the sand, and on a 
tree the word Croatan, but there was no cross above it, 
and this seemed to indicate that the colonists had gone of 
their own accord to an Indian town called Croatan, which 
was on a neighboring island. White set out for Croaton ; 
but, a fierce storm coming on, the captain of the ship 
refused to continue the journey and sailed for England. 



EARLY ATTEMPTS AT COLONIZATION 



31 




Searching for the Lost Colony 



When Sir Walter Raleigh learned that the colony was no 
longer on Roanoke Island, he manifested much anxiety 
in regard to its fate, and dispatched, it is said, five differ- 
ent expeditions in quest of the colonists; but no certain 
trace of them has ever been discovered. They simply 
disappeared from view. Had they become lost in the 
primeval forests and died of starvation ? Had they been 
massacred by the Indians? Or had they joined the 
savages and, wandering off into the interior, become lost 
to civilization ? These questions have never been satis- 
factorily answered ; and this disappearance of over a hun- 
dred human beings constitutes a pathetic tragedy — the 
first of a long series connected with the history of our 
country. 



32 THE COLONY 



QUESTIONS 

1. Why is Virginia history so important? 

2. What were the chief reasons England had for settling Virginia? 

3 . When did Columbus discover America ? What points did he touch ? 

4. Who first discovered the mainland of North America? 

5. Upon what did England base her claim to Virginia? 

6. Who first tried to plant English colonies in America? 

7. Who afterwards took up the subject of colonization? 

8. From whom did he obtain authority to carry out his plans? 

9. Where did Raleigh's first expedition land? 

10. How were the explorers treated by the Indians? 

1 1 . Upon their return to England, what accounts did they give of the 

country ? 

12. How did the name of Virginia originate? 

13. How were its boundaries described by an old writer? 

14. By what other name was the Pacific Ocean known, and where was 

it supposed to be ? 

15. Give an account of Sir Walter Raleigh's first Roanoke Island 

colony. 

16. Why did they call the coast of North Carolina Wingandacon? 

17. What did they understand the Indians to say about the source of 

the Roanoke River? 

18. What was the result of Ralph Lane's attempt to find the South 

Sea? 

19. Who took the settlers back to England, and what information did 

they carry with them? 

20. What was the greatest advantage that came from this expedition? 
2t. Give an account of the Lost Colony? 

22. What did they urge their governor to do. and what agreement was 

made ? 

23. What pledge did he give of a speedy return? 

24. What traces did he find of the colony upon his return? 

25. Has its fate ever been known? 



CHAPTER II 

JAMESTOWN 

Renewed Interest in Virginia. — Nearly twenty years 
elapsed after the planting of the lost colony before another 
effort was made to settle Virginia. Then the times grew 
favorable for a renewal of the enterprise, and many influ- 
ential persons became interested in it. Men, too, were 
found in abundance, who were eager to make personal trial 
of this new field of adventure. It seemed to offer an easy 
road to fortune and to renown. Fabulous stories written 
about America, its heathen peoples and " monstrous strange 
beasts," were read with delight; and maps, which showed 
the location of new lands, cities, and rivers, were eagerly 
examined. From the pulpit, clergymen declared that " Vir- 
ginia was a door which God had opened for England." 

The London and the Plymouth Companies. — Two asso- 
ciations were in 1606 formed to settle colonies in the vast 
domain known as Virginia. To Sir Thomas Gates, Sir 
George Somers, and others, who constituted what was 
known as the London Company, authority was given to 
found a colony in the southern part of Virginia, and it 
was to be planted anywhere between the thirty-fourth and 
the forty-first degrees of north latitude ; that is, between 
what is now the southern part of North Carolina and the 
mouth of the Hudson River. Three years later, the bound- 
aries of the southern colony were enlarged, and made to 
VIRG. hist. — 3 33 



34 THE COLONY 

embrace the territory two hundred miles north and two 
hundred south of what is now known as Old Point Com- 
fort and to extend " up into the land from sea to sea " ; 
that is, from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. To the 
Plymouth Company authority was granted to establish a 
colony in the northern part of Virginia, afterwards named 
New England ; but no permanent settlement was made in 
this territory till 1620, thirteen years after Virginia was 
settled. 

The First American Charter. — On April 10, 1606, King 
James signed a charter, which he had himself prepared, 
for the government of the colony the London Company 
was to plant. The laws laid down were, on the whole, 
unwise, and not calculated to advance the prosperity of 
a struggling community. The chief provisions were as 
follows : The colony was to be governed by a council 
appointed by the king, the members of which were to 
reside in England ; and this council was to appoint a 
subordinate one in Virginia, which was to govern accord- 
ing to laws, ordinances, and instructions prescribed by the 
king. The land was to be held free of any military or 
other service to the king, but to him was to be given one 
fifth of all precious metals that might be found. It was 
also provided that for five years the settlers should have 
things in common, but that after this land should descend 
to the eldest son, as it did in England ; that the Church of 
England should be established ; and that efforts should be 
made to find a short and easy way to the " South Sea" and 
to the East Indies. One provision is worthy of special 
notice — that the colonists and their children were to have 
forever the rights and privileges of native Englishmen. 

The Beginners of the Nation. — One hundred men were 
soon secured, who were to be the pioneers. Among them 



JAMESTOWN 



35 



were to be found men of every rank. There were some 
carpenters, laborers, and tradesmen, but more than half 
the number were gentlemen. Several of these were men 
of property, but many were younger sons, who went out 
from home in the hope of bettering their condition in life 
by a sudden accession of wealth. On the whole, the emi- 
grants were not suited to bear the hardships of life in 
an uncivilized land. A few, however, had the qualities 
of leaders. These were Captain John Smith, who was 
a man of unusual ability ; Bar- 
tholomew Gosnold, an experi- 
enced explorer, who was one of 
the most efficient promoters of 
the undertaking ; George Percy, 
a brother of the Duke of Nor- 
thumberland ; and Rev. Robert 
Hunt, a minister of the Estab- 
lished Church. 

The Departure. — Finally all 
preparations were completed, 
and on December 19, 1606, the 
expedition set sail from Black- 
wall, below London. The event stirred the patriotic feel- 
ing of England, and aroused great interest even in so busy 
a city as London. Michael Drayton wrote a lyric poem in 
honor of the argonauts, and prayers were offered up in 
the churches for their success. They embarked in three 
small ships, the Susan Constant of one hundred tons, the 
Godspeed of forty tons, and the Discovery, a pinnace of 
twenty tons. The expedition was under the command 
of Captain Christopher Newport. 

The Voyage. — Captain Newport sailed round by the 
Canaries, following the usual route. Stormy weather made 




Captain John Smith 



36 THE COLONY 

the voyage long and dangerous. For four months the 
ships were tossed and buffeted by the waves ; and not till 
April 26, 1607, did the adventurers reach the Chesapeake 
Bay, the northern and southern capes of which they 
named after the king's two sons, Charles and Henry. 
Soon after passing the capes, they entered a beautiful 
river, which in honor of their sovereign they called the 
James, and a point of land at which they touched in enter- 
ing its mouth, they named Point Comfort. The banks of 
this noble river, which the Indians called the Powhatan, 
were covered with showy white dogwood blossoms, mingled 
with brilliant red buds ; and from either side the perfume 
of spring flowers was wafted to the ships. To the storm- 
tossed travelers the land looked like a veritable paradise, 
and they decided that " heaven and earth had never agreed 
better to frame a place for man's habitation." 

The First Virginia Council. — The names of the first 
Virginia Council had been put, by orders of the king, in a 
sealed box, which was not to be opened till the expedition 
reached Virginia. It was examined on the night of April 
26; and the councilmen were found to be Bartholomew 
Gosnold, John Smith, Edward Maria Wingfield, Christo- 
pher Newport, John Ratcliffe, John Martin, and George 
Kendall. Wingfield was elected president. But Smith 
was at first excluded from the Council on the ground that 
he had conspired to usurp all authority and make himself 
"King of Virginia." This charge was at a later period 
proved to be untrue, and he was then admitted. 

Exploring. — Seventeen clays were spent in exploring. 
The following quaint description tells what happened when 
a small party first landed: "At night, when wee were going 
aboard, there came the savages creeping from the Hills 
like Beares, with their Bowes in their Mouthes, charged us 



JAMESTOWN 



37 



very desperately, hurt Captain Gabrill Archer in both 
hands, and a Sayler in two places of the body very danger- 
ous. After they had spent their arrowes, and felt the 
sharpness of our shot, they retired into the Woods with a 
great noise and so left us." 

Location of Jamestown Chosen. — On May 13, 1607, the 
settlers selected a site for a city, naming it Jamestown, 
which they fondly hoped would grow into a great metropolis. 




The Settlement of Jamestown 



The location chosen was on the western end of a malarial 
peninsula, lying on the north side of the river, about forty 
miles from its mouth. The peninsula has since become 
an island. The landing having been effected, the Council 
elected Mr. Wingfield president, who then delivered an 
oration, in which he explained why John Smith had been 
refused admittance to the Council. After this the colo- 
nists proceeded without delay to pitch tents, whose white 
coverings were soon seen gleaming among the green trees. 



38 THE COLONY 

They rendered their arms and their provisions secure, and 
fixed a place to hold religious services. Later, cabins were 
built on the peninsula ; and the place began to assume the 
appearance of a settled community. 

A Fort Built. — Toward the end of May, as the men 
were planting corn, a shower of arrows came hurtling 
upon them, followed by the shrill war whoop of the sav- 
ages. One boy was slain and seventeen men wounded. 
Up to this time but little preparation had been made for 
defense ; but now all work was stopped till a strong fort 
could be built and palisaded. This was soon completed, 
and the settlers felt secure from attack. 

QUESTIONS 

1. What of the renewed interest in Virginia? 

2. For what purpose were the London and Plymouth Companies 

formed ? 

3. What parts of Virginia were given to each company? 

4. By whom was the charter for the London Company signed? 

5. What were the chief provisions of this charter? 

6. Give an account of the pioneers of Virginia. 

7. Name those who possessed qualities of leaders. 

8. In what year did they leave England? 

9. What interest was shown in their expedition? 

10. Give the names of the three ships in which they embarked ? By 

whom were they commanded ? 

1 1 . Give an account of their voyage. 

12. When did they reach the Chesapeake Bay? 

13. After whom were the capes Charles and Henry named ? 

14. What name did they give the river they entered? 

15. Who constituted the first Virginia Council ? 

16. Why was John Smith at first excluded ? 

17. What is said of their explorations? 

18. How did the colonists give the peninsula the appearance of a set- 

tled community? 

19. What happened towards the end of May? 



CHAPTER III 

A TYPICAL PIONEER 

Early History of Captain John Smith. — Fortunately for 
the colony, it contained one man of remarkable ability — 
John Smith. He was born in Willoughby, England, his 
family being connected with the Lancashire gentry. By 
nature he was fond of adventure, and he lived at a period 
when the world was full of excitement and stirring deeds. 
Before he reached manhood he had fought in Flanders in 
the wars against Spain. In 1601 he enlisted with the 
Germans against the Turks. At the siege of Regal he 
slew three Turks in a tournament, and was honored with 
a triumphal procession. In the bloody battle of Rotten- 
ton he was captured by the Turks and sold into slavery ; 
but he slew his master with a flail, and escaped into Russia. 
Then he wandered through Poland, Germany, France, and 
Spain, returning to England in 1604. Such, according to 
his account, were the leading events in his life before he 
came to America. 

Visit to Powhatan. — While the settlers were trying to 
make themselves comfortable at Jamestown, Newport and 
Smith with twenty-three others sailed up the James to dis- 
cover its head. They went as far as the falls of the river, 
and on the trip paid a visit to Powhatan, the acknowledged 
head of the Virginia Indians, whom they found in his 
royal wigwam, just a short distance from where the his- 
toric city of Richmond now stands. They were hospitably 

39 



40 



THE COLONY 



entertained by the savages ; but Powhatan did not look 
with favor upon his guests, though he thought it best to 
hide his feelings. When one of his followers complained 

of the coming of the Eng- 
lish, he replied that the 
strangers did not hurt 
them, but only took a 
little of their waste land. 
An Unexpected Calam- 
ity. — Newport returned 
with his party to James- 
town the last of May, 
and in June he sailed for 
England, leaving a bark 
or pinnace for the use of 
the colonists. He had 
hardly taken his depart- 
ure before an unexpected 
disaster befell the set- 
tlers. The marshy penin- 
sula was full of malaria ; 
and when July came, the men were attacked with such an 
epidemic of fever that at one time scarcely ten of them 
could stand. To add to their distress, the supply of food 
soon became insufficient, half a pint of wheat and as much 
barley boiled in water being each man's daily allowance. 
The noise of labor ceased, and no sounds were heard save 
the groans of the sick. At times as many as three or four 
died in a single night. Speaking of this period, Smith 
says, " Our drink was water and our lodgings castles in 
the air"; and George Percy wrote: " There were never 
Englishmen left in a foreign country in such misery as we 
were in this newly discovered Virginia." The facts show 




(From an old print) 



A TYPICAL PIONEER 



41 



that this statement was not exaggerated ; for by September 
half the men were dead, the brave Gosnold being among 
the number, and the remaining fifty in a deplorable condi- 
tion, weakened by disease and by the lack of nourishment. 
Half Survive. — When the supply of food had been 
exhausted, and the men were about to die of starvation, 
their wretched condition so moved the hearts of the sav- 




Sickness at Jamestown 



ages, that they gave them of their own fruit and provi- 
sions. Smith also obtained additional supplies by trading 
with the Indians and by intimidating them. The frosts 
of autumn brought health to the fever-stricken men ; and 
now an abundant supply of food came from an unexpected 
quarter. Wild fowl appeared in large numbers, swimming 
upon the bosom of the river; and deer and other game 
came near the settlement. So the men feasted and half 
were saved. 



42 THE COLONY 

Supposed Breadth of North America. — So little was 
known of the dimensions of the continent at this period 
that it was commonly supposed that the Pacific Ocean, or 
the " South Sea," as it was called, could be easily reached 
by sailing a little way up any of the rivers that ran from 
the northwest. To find a way to this sea was one of the 
objects set before the colonists by the London Company; 
for it was believed this would open an easy route to the 
East Indies, and pour out a golden tide of prosperity upon 
the shores of England. 

Smith a Captive. — Complaint having been made that 
nothing had been done to discover the " South Sea," 
which had been the eager quest of so many of the early 
explorers, Smith, who was the leading spirit of the colony, 
sailed up the Chickahominy River to look for it. In the 
swamps of the river the Indians captured him, after which 
they set out on a march of triumph, exhibiting him to vari- 
ous tribes and spending their time in feasting. Finally 
they carried their captive to Powhatan, who was at Wero- 
wocomoco, 1 his favorite resort, which was on the York 
River, only a few miles from the historic field of York- 
town. The Indians, after holding a consultation, decided 
that Smith must die. 

His Rescue. — Two great stones were brought, and the 
head of the struggling captive forced down upon them, 

1 Next to Jamestown, this spot is the most celebrated in the early history 
of Virginia. Its highly picturesque situation, overlooking the majestic York 
River, rendered it well worthy to be chosen by Powhatan as the seat of his 
power. Here the great Indian chief planned his schemes of conquest, and 
brooded over the disasters he feared would come to his people from the Eng- 
lish. Here Pocahontas played as a child. It was here that Captain Smith, 
some time after his release, had a house built for Powhatan after the English 
fashion, the chimney of which is still to be seen, and is called to this day 
" Powhatan's Chimney." 



A TYPICAL PIONEER 



43 



while a number of warriors raised their clubs to dash out 
his brains. But as they were about to strike, Pocahontas, 
a dearly beloved daughter of Powhatan, then a girl about 
thirteen years of age, rushed forward and, throwing her 
arms around Smith, laid her head upon his to save him 
from death. The stern heart of Powhatan was so touched 
by his daughter's act that he spared Smith's life, and two 




Rescue of Captain John Smith 

days later sent him back to Jamestown, telling him that 
he would in the future regard him as his son. 1 

Various Events. — When Smith returned to Jamestown, 
he found the colony reduced to forty, and again in need 
of food. But in January, Newport came with fifty addi- 
tional emigrants ; and another ship containing seventy more 
arrived in May. These ships brought supplies also, and 

1 This is Smith's story of his rescue, and it has been doubted, but there is 
sufficient evidence of its truth in all essential points. 



44 THE COLONY 

Newport and Smith obtained corn by trading with the 
Indians. A fire at Jamestown early in the year destroyed 
much that the colony possessed, and progress was further 
delayed by a gold fever, which took possession of the men 
because they found yellow sand near Jamestown, a ship- 
load of which Newport carried to England. 

Smith Explores the Chesapeake Bay. — Smith's active 
nature did not allow him to remain quietly at Jamestown 
for a long period. On June 2, he set out, accompanied 
by fourteen men, to explore the Chesapeake Bay. In an 
open boat, with no instrument but a compass, he trav- 
ersed the whole of the Chesapeake on both sides. He 
not only did this, but also made frequent journeys into the 
interior, and opened communications with various tribes 
of Indians. As a result of these researches, he con- 
structed a map of Virginia, which represented so correctly 
the natural outlines of the country that it was not super- 
seded for many years; and even as late as 1873, it was 
referred to as authority on the disputed boundary line 
between Virginia and Maryland. When we consider the 
slender resources at Smith's command, the results he 
accomplished rightly place him in the highest rank among 
those who have enlarged the bounds of knowledge, and 
opened a way into an unknown land for colonies and for 
commerce. 

Change of Rulers. — The first rulers proved incompe- 
tent. Wingfield was deposed by the people because he 
tried to seize the pinnace and escape to England, and 
Ratcliffe was made president. He was in turn deposed 
for bad management, and, in September, 1608, Smith was 
elected in his place. In times of adversity capable men 
always come to the front, and Smith was virtually the 
leader long before he became president. During the 



A TYPICAL PIONEER 



45 



autumn and winter that followed his election he had entire 
control of affairs ; and under his vigorous management, 
everything took on a better appearance. When food was 
needed he obtained it from the Indians, by fair means if 
he could, and by force when nothing else availed. 

Promises that Could not be Fulfilled. — About the end of 
autumn, Newport came again, bringing with him another 
supply of emigrants, among whom were Mrs. Forest and 
her maid, Anne Burrus, the first English women that had 
ever settled in the colony. This time he had promised to 
do some impossibilities; for he had pledged himself not 
to return to England without obtaining a lump of gold, 
discovering the " South Sea," or finding one of Sir Walter 
Raleigh's lost colony. He was also instructed to crown 
Powhatan as a king acknowledging allegiance to Eng- 
land ; and this he did, putting on Powhatan's head a tinsel 
crown, and giving him a scarlet cloak and other mock in- 
signia of royalty. The haughty Indian monarch, in re- 
turn for the presents he had received, sent King James 
a robe of raccoon skins and a pair of his old moccasins. 
The other undertakings Newport could not accomplish. 

A New Charter. — In the summer of 1609, Captain Sam- 
uel Argall came on a trading expedition, bringing from 
England the news that Captain John Smith had been 
deposed. This proved to be true. King James had 
granted a new charter, which enlarged the limits of the 
colony and authorized the London Company to choose the 
English Council, and this Council was in turn to appoint 
a governor for the colony. Virginia was to have not only 
a governor, but also a lieutenant governor and an admiral ; 
Lord Delaware, Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Somers 
had been elected to these offices, while Captain Newport 
had been appointed vice admiral. 



46 THE COLONY 

The New Emigrants arrive, but the New Government does 
not. — Under the new organization, money enough was 
speedily obtained to send nine ships containing five hun- 
dred emigrants, to Jamestown. The fleet sailed from 
England in May, 1609, leaving Lord Delaware to follow, 
which he expected to do in a short time. To Gates, 
Somers, and Newport, commissions were given, authorizing 
the first one of the three that reached Virginia to admin- 
ister the government till Lord Delaware arrived. The 
leaders were jealous of one another, and to keep one from 
securing an advantage over the others by a prior arrival, 
they all sailed together in the Sea Venture, the flagship of 
the vice admiral. In August, about three hundred of the 
emigrants, inadequately provisioned, arrived at Jamestown, 
bringing the news that the Sea Venture, containing the 
officers of the government and the rest of the party, had 
been lost in a storm. 

New Settlements. — As none of the officers authorized 
to take charge of the government had arrived, Smith 
retained control of affairs. He induced some of the new- 
comers to settle at Nansemond under the command of 
John Martin, and others at the falls of the James River 
under Francis West, a brother of Lord Delaware. 

Smith leaves Virginia. — While Smith was returning 
from a visit to the settlement at the falls of the James, 
he was severely wounded by the accidental explosion of 
a bag of gunpowder. Toward the end of September, when 
the ships that brought the emigrants returned, his enemies 
succeeded in having him sent back to England, charging 
him with having instigated the Indians to attack the set- 
tlers at the falls, because they had been insubordinate to 
him, and with plotting 1 to acquire a right to Virginia by 

1 See The Beginners of a Nation, by Edward Eggleston. pp. 37, 60,61. 



A TYPICAL PIONEER 47 

marrying Pocahontas, the daughter of Powhatan. Smith 
afterwards explored the coast of New England ; but he 
never returned to Virginia. He died in London in 1631. 
His Character. — The testimony of those who knew him 
shows that he was a man of action, craving restless move- 
ment, and taking pleasure in unremitting toil. He was 
fertile in expedients and full of energy, difficulties serving 
only to bring out the strength of his character, while his 
hopefulness under adverse circumstances enabled him to 
inspire others with confidence in him and in themselves. 
His researches in geography are unusually accurate for 
his times, and on practical subjects and colonization he 
wrote much that contains the highest wisdom. With all 
these strong qualities, he was at the same time so vain 
that, when he gave an account of his own exploits, his 
fervid imagination led him to color his narrative too 
highly. His character is paradoxical, and has to be 
studied in order to be understood. He has been called 
the " Father of Virginia " ; and there is no doubt as to 
the great value of the services he rendered the colony. 

QUESTIONS 

1. What was the early history of Captain John Smith ? 

2. Give an account of the visit of Smith and Newport to Powhatan. 

3. How did Powhatan regard his guests ? 

4. What calamity befell the Jamestown colony? 

5. Why did the savages give them provisions ? 

6. From what source did the settlers obtain abundant supplies ? 

7. What was the supposed breadth of North America ? 

8. Describe the capture of John Smith. 

9. Give an account of his rescue. 

10. Upon his return to Jamestown, in what condition did he find the 

colonists ? 

11. Why were the first rulers deposed, and who was finally elected 

president ? 



48 THE COLONY 

12. Who were the first English women that emigrated to the colony? 

13. What had Newport promised to do? 

14. Give an account of the crowning of Powhatan. 

15. When Argall came to Virginia, in 1609, what news did he bring 

from England ? 

16. What changes had been made in the government of the colony? 

17. What officers had been appointed? 

18. Why did John Smith remain at the head of affairs? 

19. What new settlements did he make ? 

20. Why did Smith leave Virginia? 

21. Give an estimate of his character. 



REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1. Give a general description of the Virginia Indians. 

2. Describe their weapons, wigwams, and customs. 

3. What was their method of warfare, and how did they treat their 

prisoners ? 

4. What is said of their education ? 

5. Describe their religion. 

6. What is said of Powhatan? 

7. Why did the English wish to settle Virginia ? 

8. Mention some early explorers and what they did. 

9. Give an account of the early attempts at colonization. 

10. Relate the story of the Lost Colony. 

11. Why were the London and Plymouth Companies formed, and what 

territory was granted each ? 

12. What were the chief provisions of the first American charter, and 

by whom were they signed? 

13. Mention some of the beginners of the nation, and describe their 

departure and voyage. 

14. When and where did they make a permanent settlement ? 

15. Give the early history of Captain John Smith. 

16. Give an account of his capture by the Indians, and his rescue. 

17. Describe his last years, and give an estimate of his character. 



CHAPTER IV 

THE STARVING TIME — THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF 
DELAWARE, DALE, AND ARGALL 

The Starving Time. — Disasters came fast after Smith's 
departure. The colony would not recognize the authority 
of George Percy, the acting president, and became divided 
into factions, each one of which had a leader. Francis 
West and a party of men who went in a ship to procure 
corn, sailed away, leaving the colony to its fate. The 
Indians renewed their hostility, and, filled with the deter- 
mination to destroy the colony utterly, killed all who fell 
into their hands. Ratcliffe, who attempted to trade with 
the savages, was tortured to death by Indian women, and 
thirty of his men were slain. When the provisions were 
exhausted, the domestic animals were next consumed ; and 
then the horrors of what is known as the " starving time " 
set in. During this period, one man deserves special men- 
tion as being apparently the only one who devised a plan 
to save the colony from utter destruction. This was Daniel 
Tucker, who built a boat and caught fish in the river, which, 
Percy says, "kept us from killing one another to eat." In 
six months the colony was reduced from nearly five hun- 
dred to sixty. The end was drawing near. 

The Wreck of the Sea Venture. — There is no more ro- 
mantic story in history than that of the Sea Venture, 
which is supposed to have suggested "The Tempest" to 
Shakespeare. The ship was wrecked on the coast of 

VIRG. HIST. — 4 49 



So 



THE COLONY 



the Bermudas, which were at that time " accounted as an 
inchaunted pile of rockes and a desert habitation for 
Divels." " But all the fairies of the rocks were but flocks 
of birds, and all the Divels that haunted the woods were 
but herds of swine." This is what Sir Thomas Gates and 
his companions found to be true. They fared well, not- 
withstanding they had been shipwrecked, and " lived in 
such peace and plenty " that some wished to spend their 

lives there. But out 
of the wreck of the 
Sea Venture, they 
constructed with the 
aid of cedar timber 
found growing on the 
islands, two barges, 
which they christened 
the Deliverance and 
the Patience, and em- 
barked for Virginia. 

The Rescue. — They 
reached Jamestown 
on May 24, 16 10, just 
in time to save the 
remnant of the set- 
tlers. There was some talk of resuscitating the colony ; 
but, when it was found that the provisions brought from 
the Bermudas would not last more than two or three 
weeks, they decided to abandon Jamestown. So on June 
7 the whole party was crowded into the Deliverance, the 
Patience, and two pinnaces that were at Jamestown. The 
little fleet dropped down the river, and the next morning 
reached its mouth, where it met Lord Delaware, whose 
ships were just entering Virginia waters. The whole party 




Wreck of the Sea Venture 



THE STARVING TIME 5 I 

now returned to Jamestown, feeling that the hand of God 
had stayed their departure. 

Administration of Lord Delaware. — Lord Delaware was 
the first executive officer in Virginia who bore the title 
of governor, and he came commissioned to rule with the 
sword of martial law. He maintained a mild but decided 
authority ; and his influence for good was much enhanced 
by the virtues for which he was distinguished. He estab- 
lished regular hours for labor, tolerating no idlers but 
requiring the colonists to work during six hours of the day. 
Twice each day all had to attend brief religious services 
in the church, which was kept decorated with wild flowers. 
In every way he proved himself an efficient governor. 
He had the dwellings at Jamestown repaired, the forts 
garrisoned, and taught the Indians again to fear the Eng- 
lish. But his health gave way under his duties, and, in 
March, 161 1, he returned to England. 

Sir Thomas Dale. — On May 10, 161 1, Sir Thomas Dale 
came to take charge of the government, bearing the title 
of High Marshal. He received the appointment through 
the influence of Prince Henry, who took great interest in 
the welfare of the colony. Dale ruled by martial law with 
inhuman cruelty, putting offenders to death by torture, 
and even breaking one poor criminal on the wheel. Five 
men, captured in an attempt to escape to some Spaniards, 
who were reported to be near the settlement, were burned 
at the stake. A poor thief, for purloining a little oatmeal, 
was chained to a tree and allowed to starve. During 
Dale's reign of terror, no letters of complaint were allowed 
to reach England ; and his administration, which came to 
an end in 1616, was known as "the five years of slavery." 
Dale lived in a cruel age, and he was a cruel representa- 
tive of his age. 



52 THE COLONY 

Results Accomplished by Dale. — Dale's administration 
had the happy effect of causing law and order to be 
properly respected, and it greatly advanced the material 
prosperity of the colony, though this was done by reducing 
the people to a bondage that was intolerable. He had 
much corn land cleared, and largely increased the number 
of horses, cattle, and hogs. One experiment which he 
tried produced results that proved to be important. He 
allowed each old settler to have a private garden patch 
of three acres, the proceeds of which belonged to him, 
while the rest of his labor went for the common good. 
From this it appeared that one man working for himself 
would make as much as ten men whose labor went into 
the public stock. This led at a later period to the private 
ownership of land, and the adoption of this system brought 
about great changes for good. 

Argall. — Captain Samuel Argall now becomes promi- 
nent in Virginia history. In 1617, he was appointed 
lieutenant governor, and he had no sooner entered upon 
his duties than he proceeded to oppress the people under 
the cover of martial law, and to rob both the colony and 
the London Company, sending to England, while doing 
this, favorable reports of the condition of affairs. Cattle 
belonging to the colony he sold, and kept the proceeds. 
The Indian trade he carried on with the men and ships 
of the Company, and pocketed the profits. He plundered 
everybody with a pirate's rapacity, and even robbed Lady 
Delaware. When his high-handed proceedings became 
known in England, the London Company ordered all his 
goods and property to be seized. But Lord Rich, who 
afterwards became Earl of Warwick and took a prominent 
part in the Puritan movement, was Argall's partner in 
England and, indeed, had secured his appointment as gov- 



THE STARVING TIME 53 

ernor of Virginia. Now when ho found that his confeder- 
ate's downfall was certain, he dispatched a swift sailing 
vessel to Virginia, in which Argall escaped with his booty 
before the Company's orders could be executed. 

QUESTIONS 

1. What happened to the colony after Smith's departure? 

2. Describe the starving time. 

3. Who deserves special mention during this period, and why? 

4. Give an account of the wreck of the Sea I T enture. 

5. How were the survivors of the colony saved from starvation? 

6. Why did they decide to abandon Jamestown? 

7. Who first bore the title of governor of Virginia? 

8. By what means did Lord Delaware accomplish much good in the 

colony ? 

9. Why did he return to England? 

10. Who succeeded Lord Delaware? 

1 1 . Give an account of Dale's administration. 

12. What was it called? 

13. What good results did Dale accomplish? 

14. What experiment of his proved important? 

15. When Argall became governor, how did he act toward the people, 

and the London Company? 

16. How did he escape with his ill-gotten gains? 



CHAPTER V 



POCAHONTAS 




Her Friendship for the English. — The story of Pocahon- 
tas is one of the most beautiful connected with the early 
history of Virginia, and will always be 
read with interest by English people. 
She first appeared at Jamestown dur- 
ing the winter of 1607-8, bringing food 
to the colonists, who were in great need. 
After this she made frequent visits, at- 
tended by a train of Indians bringing 
baskets laden with corn and venison. 
In 1609, when John Smith was in her 
father's country trying to secure corn, 
she came at night and warned him of 
a plot the Indians had formed to kill 
and when Ratcliffe and his men were 
slain, she saved one man and a boy from death. Many 
other acts of kindness are related of her, which show that 
she had a woman's tender heart, though she was an untu- 
tored savage. 

Her Capture. — In 1612, Captain Samuel Argall went to 
the Potomac country to trade for corn. While on this 
mission, he learned from an old chief named Japazaws, 
that Pocahontas was in the neighborhood, and he con- 
ceived the idea of capturing her. So he bribed Japazaws 
to induce her to come on board of his sloop, which lay in 

54 



Pocahontas 



him and his party 



POCAHONTAS 




Marriage of Pocahontas 

the Potomac River, and carried her off to Jamestown a 
prisoner, sending a messenger to Powhatan to demand, as 
a ransom for her release, the restoration of all English 
prisoners held by him, and the return of all arms and 
tools that had been stolen from Jamestown by the Indians. 
Her Marriage. — Powhatan was not disposed to accede 
to these terms, and threatened war. But while negotia- 
tions were going on in regard to the occurrence, the 
matter was settled in a most unexpected manner. While 
Pocahontas was at Jamestown, John Rolfe, a young Eng- 
lishman, fell deeply in love with her, and she reciprocated 
his passion. She professed faith in Christ, and was bap- 
tized under the name of Rebecca in the little church at 
Jamestown, from a font made of the trunk of a tree. Then 
she was married to Rolfe with the approval of her father. 



56 THE COLONY 

The Cause of Peace. — To the colony, the marriage 
brought peace ; for after it had taken place, Powhatan and 
the various tribes over which he had influence became 
friendly to the English. Even the Chickahominies, who 
were fierce fighters, were led by it to enter into an alliance, 
by which they acknowledged themselves subjects of King 
James, calling themselves New Englishmen. 

Visits England. — Pocahontas lived happily with her 
husband, and with him visited England in 1616, when Sir 
Thomas Dale returned. Her arrival in London created 
a sensation, and all classes did her honor on account of 
her romantic history and the services she had rendered to 
the colony. She was presented at court by Lady Dela- 
ware, and was accorded the rank of a royal princess. 

Her Death. — In March, 1617, she died at Gravesend, 
England, just as she was getting ready to embark for her 
native land, being only about twenty-two years of age 
when her eventful life came to an end. She left one son, 
Thomas, who was brought up in England. He married in 
London, but settled in Virginia, where he became a man 
of prominence, and where a number of his descendants 
are to be found among the honored citizens of the com- 
monwealth. 

QUESTIONS 

1 . What is said of the story of Pocahontas? 

2. How did she show her friendship for the English? 

3. Describe her capture by Argall. 

4. What ransom was demanded of Powhatan for her release? 

5. What unexpected settlement of the matter took place? 

6. Give an account of the marriage of Pocahontas. 

7. What benefit did it bring to the colony? 

8. How was Pocahontas treated when she visited England? 

9. When and at what age did she die? 
10. Has she any descendants in Virginia ? 



CHAPTER VI 

THE FOUNDING OF A STATE 

The Crisis of Colonization. — The real crisis of coloniza- 
tion had now come. Dale's tyrannical administration and 
Argall's rule of robbery and ruin, had given Virginia such 
a bad reputation, that emigrants were no longer willing to 
go to a land where so many woes were experienced. One 
convict, who was offered the choice between transportation 
to Virginia and death by hanging, promptly chose hanging. 
The organizers of the London Company had hoped that 
they would reap large profits, as the stockholders of the 
East India Company were doing ; but the colony had not 
proved a success financially ; and it was now seen that 
commercial motives would have to become secondary, or 
else the whole scheme abandoned. 

Triumph of Patriotic Motives. — Higher motives pre- 
vailed. " Divers lords, knights, gentlemen, and citizens 
grieved to see this great action fall to nothing"; and patri- 
otic feeling was deeply stirred. The London Company 
passed under the control of a body of liberal statesmen, 
who put the founding of a state before the making of 
fortunes, and determined to adopt such means as were 
necessary to restore credit to the Virginia experiment. 

The Great Charter. — Under the influence of such patri- 
otic men as the Earl of Southampton, Shakespeare's friend, 
and Sir Edwin Sandys, the great advocate of popular 
liberty, the London Company on November 13, 161 8, 

57 



58 THE COLONY 

granted to Virginia a " Great Charter or Commissions of 
Priviledges, Orders, and Lawes." No copy of this charter 
is extant, but it is known that it limited the power of the 
governor, and provided for a legislative body to be composed 
of burgesses elected from the different settlements. This 
was the beginning of constitutional government in America; 
and the first House of Burgesses met at Jamestown on 
July 30, 1 619, at the call of Governor Yeardley. The 
Great Charter provided also for an allotment of land to all 
settlers who were in the colony when Sir Thomas Dale 
took his departure ; and so the oldest Virginia land titles 
date back to it. 

Good Results. — In the spring of 1619, the people heard 
of the Great Charter and the changes it would bring, and 
they were filled with joy, feeling " now fully satisfied for 
their long labors, and as happy men as there were in the 
world." At the close of Argall's administration, the colony 
numbered not more than four hundred, but now emigrants 
came in large numbers. Twelve hundred and sixty-one 
arrived in the year 1619, and thirty-five hundred more 
within three years. All honor to such men as Sir Edwin 
Sandys, who founded in Virginia an English state with 
a constitution and a representative government, before 
England herself was delivered from the tyranny of the 
Stuarts. 

Homes in the Wilderness. — When the founding of a 
state was made the first object, then the London Company 
became convinced " that a plantation can never flourish 
till families be planted, and the respects of Wives and 
Children fix the people on the Soyle." In 1619, Sir 
Edwin Sandys stated that the English in Virginia " were 
not settled in their mindes to make it their place of rest 
and continuance." During the same year, ninety young 



THE FOUNDING OF A STATE 



59 



women were induced to emigrate to the colony. These 
found many suitors, as did others who came in later years. 
In 1624, the governor felt it to be his duty to issue a proc- 
lamation, threatening with punishment young ladies who 
betrothed themselves to more than one lover at a time. 
Happy marriages followed the coming of the women ; and 
soon men began to look upon Virginia as their home. An 




Young Women come to Virginia 

interesting feature of these early marriages is that a man 
was required, after winning his wife's hand, to pay for 
bringing her to the colony in tobacco, which was then a 
costly commodity. 

Introduction of Negro Slavery. — Almost simultaneously 
with the birth of free government came the curse of Afri- 
can slavery. In August, 1619, a Dutch man-of-war sailed 
up the James River, and sold to the settlers twenty negroes, 



6o THE COLONY 

who became the property of their purchasers and were 
made permanent servants. This was the beginning of an 
institution that was destined in after years to become 
fraught with harm. The traffic in negroes, when it had 
once begun, continued, but grew so slowly at first that 
thirty years after its introduction, the white population 
outnumbered the black fifty to one. 

Indented Servants. — There was a class of persons in 
the colony known as indented servants. The term was 
applied to any one who was bound by a legal agreement 
to work for a prescribed time for another person. Some 
entered into an arrangement of this kind to defray their ex- 
penses in coming to Virginia, others were prisoners taken 
in war and sold by their captors into temporary servitude. 
It by no means follows that all persons of this class were 
of humble origin. Among them were to be found the 
sons of gentlemen. Some convicts were also sent to 
the colony, but the number was small compared with the 
population ; and the offenses committed by many of these 
had been of a political nature. 

Friendly Intercourse with the Indians. — After Poca- 
hontas married Rolfe, there had been peace between the 
English and the Indians. This had continued for so long 
a time that the Indians were no longer looked upon with 
distrust, nor did they display any hostility to the whites ; 
and it seemed probable that the two races would continue 
to dwell in amity. 

The Massacre of 1622. — In 1618 Powhatan died, and 
was succeeded by his brother, Itopatin, and he in a short 
time was supplanted by Opechancanough, a chief who was 
cunning, artful, and able. He at once formed a plot to ex- 
terminate the English, and for four years he schemed and 
planned, bringing tribe after tribe into the conspiracy. 



THE FOUNDING OF A STATE 



6l 



To keep his design from being suspected, just before he 
was ready to strike he entered into a treaty of peace with 
the English. His plot was well conceived, his plan being 
to fall upon all the plantations and settlements at the same 
time, and by an unexpected blow to destroy the colony 
utterly. The Indians manifested the greatest friendliness 
for the whites up to the very time when the murderous 
design was to be put into execution ; and, even on the 




The Massacre of 1622 

morning of the fatal day, they came freely among them, 
and in some cases took breakfast with the persons they 
had planned to kill. At midday on March 22, 1622, they 
swarmed out of their hiding places and engaged in a 
wholesale butchery, sparing neither men, women, nor 
children. By sunset 347 persons had been slain. But 
the conspiracy met with only partial success. At some of 
the plantations the settlers succeeded in beating off their 
assailants. Jamestown and the places next to it received, 



62 THE COLONY 

through a converted Indian, warning in time to get ready 
for the danger that was impending, and when they were 
attacked, they easily put the savages to flight. 

Effects of the Massacre. — The immediate effects of the 
massacre upon the colony were disastrous in the extreme. 
Many of the plantations were abandoned, and the alarmed 
people were crowded upon a territory so limited that it was 
hardly large enough to afford them a bare subsistence, 
and much sickness prevailed. In consequence of these 
hardships many became disheartened and returned to 
England, so that a year after the massacre, the number 
of inhabitants had been reduced from about four thousand 
to twenty-five hundred. 

Retaliation. — The people were at first thrown into a 
panic; but they soon realized that they were strong enough 
to protect themselves, and entered upon a fierce though 
desultory warfare, which lasted for ten years. Before 
the massacre, it seemed probable that the Indians would, 
for all time, occupy the land along with the English ; 
but by their treachery they lost the opportunity they 
had of retaining a part of their heritage in the territory 
of Virginia. They were now regarded by the whites as 
unworthy of receiving the treatment shown to enemies in 
civilized warfare, and were relentlessly pursued and shot 
down whenever opportunity offered. From this time on, 
the aboriginal inhabitants of Virginia were forced to retire 
from their homes and hunting grounds before the ever- 
rising wave of white settlers, and began, tribe after tribe, 
to fade out of existence. 



THE FOUNDING OF A STATE 63 



QUESTIONS 

1 . What brought on the crisis of colonization ? 

2. How was the London Company disappointed in its expectations? 

3. What was the character of the statesmen who now obtained control 

of the London Company? 

4. When was the Great Charter granted to Virginia ? 

5. What is known of its provisions? 

6. When and where did the first House of Burgesses meet? 

7. What good result followed the granting of the Great Charter? 

8. Why did Sir Edwin Sandys and the men that acted with him 

deserve special honor? 

9. Of what did the London Company become convinced? 

10. In 1619. what was said of the English in Virginia? 

11. What was done to help matters? 

12. What good results to the colony followed? 

13. What was an interesting feature of the early Virginia marriages? 

14. When and how was negro slavery introduced into Virginia? 

15. What were indented servants? 

16. Were all such servants of humble origin? 

17. After the marriage of Pocahontas, how had the whites learned to 

look upon the Indians? 

18. Describe Opechancanough's plot to exterminate the English. 

19. Give an account of the massacre of 1622. 

20. What were its effects? 

21. From this time on, what became of the Indian tribes? 



CHAPTER VII 

TOBACCO 

How regarded by the Indians. — Tobacco was growing 
in America when the first settlers came. The Indians 
regarded it as the gift of their Great Spirit, and planted 
it in their gardens along with their vegetables. To it 
they attributed many wonderful virtues. They threw 
tobacco powder into the air in a time of drouth to bring 
rain ; tossed it upon the water to produce a calm when a 
tempest was brewing; and their priests cast it upon the 
sacrificial fires to propitiate evil spirits. 

Introduced into England. — Ralph Lane and his com- 
panions, who learned to smoke it from the Indians, carried 
it to England. Sir Walter Raleigh, speedily becoming 
fond of it, introduced it among the nobility, and in a 
short time it became popular at the court of Queen Eliza- 
beth. It is related that, as Sir Walter was sitting in his 
library, a servant, who came to bring him some water, saw 
smoke issue from his mouth, and hastened to pour the 
water over him, thinking that he was on fire. King James 
wrote a book against tobacco, and Parliament denounced 
it, but its consumption continued to increase in England 
till its smoke arose alike in the palace of the prince and in 
the cottage of the peasant. 

The Foundation of Virginia's Prosperity. — Tobacco be- 
came the foundation of Virginia's prosperity. John Rolfe 
began the systematic cultivation of it in 1612, and it 

64 



TOBACCO 65 

became in a few years the universal crop. In 161 7 it was 
seen growing in waste places in the streets of Jamestown, 
and even in the public squares. As the demand for 
tobacco increased, it became the chief source of revenue, 
and all other crops were neglected for it. Many persons 
of means settled in Virginia in order to raise it. It also 
rendered negro labor profitable, and thus encouraged the 
traffic in slaves. 

Led to a Fondness for Country Life. — The cultivation 
of tobacco kept the population scattered. Each planter 
desired as large a farm as he could get, for it was dis- 
covered at an early date that tobacco grew most kindly 
upon virgin soil. This made it desirable that each plan- 
tation should contain a large area covered with original 
forest, so that as soon as the acres under cultivation 
became somewhat exhausted, new land could be cleared 
and substituted for them. This had a great effect in 
shaping the life of the Virginia people, for it tended to 
isolate the settlers, thus creating a fondness for the coun- 
try and causing city life to be looked upon with little favor. 



QUESTIONS 

1 How did the Indians regard tobacco? 

2. In what ways did they use it? 

3. Who first carried tobacco to England? 

4. What nobleman made it popular at the court of Queen Elizabeth ? 

5. What anecdote is told of him? 

6. How was tobacco looked upon by King James and Parliament? 

7. Who first began a systematic cultivation of tobacco? 

8. What was the result of its increased production? 

9. How did it encourage slavery? 

10. What effect did tobacco have in shaping the lives of the Virginia 
people ? 

VIRG. HIST. < 



CHAPTER VIII 



THE COLONY UNDER THE KING 




W/fa^ 



Lord Baltimore 



Virginia Becomes a Royal Colony. — In England the 
struggle for Parliamentary freedom was going on, and 
the kingdom was divided between the Royalists and the 

supporters of Parliament. As a 
political measure, King James re- 
solved to crush the London Com- 
pany, because a majority of its 
members took sides against him. 
This he did, in 1624, by process 
of law. When the Company was 
dissolved, Virginia became a royal 
colony, and the king announced 
his intention of framing a code of 
fundamental laws for its government, but died in 1625, 
leaving this work unfinished. Charles I., who succeeded 
him, introduced no radical changes. 

Lord Baltimore. — In 1629 George Calvert, Lord Balti- 
more, a Catholic, though in no sense a bigot, came with a 
plan to establish, within the limits of the colony, a separate 
plantation as a refuge for persons of his belief. The peo- 
ple belonged to the Established Church, and were unwill- 
ing to see this done. There was a good reason also why 
they should be opposed to Lord Baltimore personally. 
He was the enemy and rival of Sandys, and had belonged 
to a faction in the London Company which had striven to 

66 



THE COLONY UNDER THE KING 67 

prevent the granting of the Great Charter ; and now he 
came desiring to establish, for the promotion of his own 
interests, a colony of his people in the settled parts of the 
country. The House of Burgesses informed him that 
permission would be given to him to carry out his plan 
only upon condition that he would take an oath acknowl- 
edging that the king had supreme authority in religious 
matters. This he refused to do, and took his departure. 
But during his visit he found that there were no settle- 
ments on the north side of the Potomac River ; and he 
readily obtained from Charles I., with whom he was a 
favorite, the promise of a charter to found a colony in that 
part of Virginia. Lord Baltimore died before the charter 
was issued, but his son planted the colony of Maryland. 
The Virginians made a vehement but unavailing protest 
against this division of their territory. 

Opposition to British Encroachment. — Even at this early 
period, the Virginians began to appreciate their liberties 
as only a people who have known oppression can do. 
If we trace to its origin the unwavering opposition to Brit- 
ish encroachment, which, was manifested in later years, 
we find it had its beginning in 1624, when the House 
of Burgesses declared that, without its consent, no royal 
governor could levy taxes. In regard to other matters 
also, the people claimed the right to sit in judgment upon 
the acts of governors. This came out in the action they 
took in the case of Sir John Harvey, who was appointed 
by the Crown, in 1630, to rule over the colony. He was 
heartily detested by the people because he had sided with 
Lord Baltimore in the quarrel that had taken place over 
Maryland ; and in his administration he was tyrannical, 
levied taxes that were unauthorized, and was unscrupulous 
as to the means he adopted to obtain money. So in 1635, 



68 THE COLONY 

the people shipped him back to England, sending at the 
same time commissioners bearing charges against him. 
The king reinstated the deposed governor ; but the occur- 
rence deserves a place in history as being the first open 
resistance to tyranny and vindication of constitutional 
rights that took place in America. 

Sir William Berkeley Begins his Administration. — In 
February, 1642, Sir William Berkeley was appointed gov- 
ernor, and entered upon his duties at a period full of stirring 
events. He was about forty years of age when he came, 
and was for thirty-five years, with brief intermissions, at 
the head of affairs, holding office for a longer period than 
any other governor. He descended from an ancient Eng- 
lish family, received his education at Oxford, had traveled 
extensively in Europe, and was " the perfect model of an 
elegant and high-minded cavalier." Soon after his arrival, 
he introduced some salutary measures which were very 
acceptable to the people, and thus his administration 
began auspiciously. 

Opechancanough Strikes once More. — Opechancanough 
was still the ruler of the Virginia Indians; but he was now 
very old, and so decrepit that he could not walk. Neither 
could he see unless his eyelids were raised, as he had an 
affection which caused them to droop. But in his en- 
feebled frame the feeling of revenge still fiercely burned ; 
and when he heard that the English were divided in the 
mother country, he decided that this was a favorable time 
to try once more to free his land from them. So in 
1644, he rallied his braves for the last time and, falling 
upon the settlements on the upper waters of the York and 
Pamunkey rivers, slew about five hundred whites. But as 
soon as the English collected in force, the savages fled as 
they had done in 1622. Sir William Berkeley pursued 



THE COLONY UNDER THE KING 69 

them with a body of horse, and captured Opechanca- 
nough. He was carried to Jamestown, where he was 
kindly treated. But one of his guards basely shot him 
in the back, and this caused his death. He was unsub- 
dued to the last, and died as he had lived, the relentless 
foe of the white man. 



QUESTIONS 

1. How and why did Virginia become a royal colony? 

2. What was Lord Baltimore's plan to establish a settlement? 

3. Who opposed it, and why? 

4. On what condition did the House of Burgesses give their consent? 

5. Did Lord Baltimore accept the condition? 

6. What grant did he secure from Charles I.? 

7. Who carried out his plans ? 

8. Against what did Virginia protest? 

9. To what event can opposition to British encroachment be traced? 

10. What action did the people take in the case of Sir John Harvey? 

11. Which did the king sustain ? 

12. Why does this case deserve a place in Virginia history ? 

13. Who was Sir William Berkeley, and when was he appointed 

governor ? 

14. Give an account of Opechancanough's last attempt to exterminate 

the English. 

15. What was the result? 

16. Tell of his death. 

REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1 . Give an account of the starving time, and tell how the colony was 

rescued. 

2. Compare the administrations of Lord Delaware and Sir Thomas 

Dale, and give results accomplished by each. 

3. Give an account of Argall's administration. 

4. Relate the story of Pocahontas. 

5. What is known of the " Great Charter," and what good results 

followed from it ? 

6. When was slavery introduced, and what were indented servants ? 



70 THE COLONY 

7. Describe the massacre of 1622, and give its effects on the people. 

8. What is said of tobacco? 

9. How and by whom was it introduced into England? 

10. What influence did its cultivation have on the prosperity of Vir- 

ginia? 

1 1. How did Virginia become a royal colony? 

12. Why did the people refuse to allow Lord Baltimore to make a 

settlement in their midst? 

13. When did Virginia begin to show her opposition to British en- 

croachment? 

14. What happened in the case of Sir John Harvey? 

15. W T ho was Sir William Berkeley, and when was he appointed 

governor ? 

16. Describe the massacre of 1644. 



CHAPTER IX 



THE COLONY UNDER THE COMMONWEALTH* 



Execution of Charles I. — In England the struggle be- 
tween the king and Parliament had grown so bitter that, 
in 1642, civil war broke out — the Puritan 
contest against royalty. The country was 
divided into two hostile parties. Those 
who supported the king and the Estab- 
lished Church were known as Cavaliers, while 
those who took sides with Parliament in 
its opposition to the king belonged 
to the Puritan party, and were 
known as Parliamentarians, or Round- 
heads. In all the strife that went 
on, Virginia had no part, but re- 
mained quiet and prosperous, though 
communication with the mother 
country was interrupted. The people were, on the whole, 

1 About a month after the execution of Charles I. the monarchy was formally 
abolished and a Council of State was appointed by the people. This body 
passed the memorable act which declared " that the people of England and of 
all the dominions and territories thereunto belonging are, and shall be, and are 
hereby constituted, made, established, and confirmed, to be a Commonwealth 
and Free State by the supreme authority of this Nation, the Representatives of 
the people in Parliament, and by such as they shall appoint and constitute 
officers and ministers for the good of the people, and that without any King or 
House of Lords." Oliver Cromwell was chosen " Protector " of the Common- 
wealth, which lasted from the execution of Charles I., in 1649, to tne restora- 
tion of Charles II. in 1660. 

7* 




Charles 



72 THE COLONY 

royalists ; and, as the difficulties that surrounded the un- 
happy Charles I. increased, they were filled with appre- 
hension as to the result that would ensue. Finally their 
worst fears were realized, when the king was captured by 
his enemies, sentenced to death, and on the 30th of Janu- 
ary, 1649, executed. 

The Colony Loyal to Charles II. — The Virginians refused 
to recognize the authority of the Commonwealth, which 
ruled in England after the death of the king. The House 
of Burgesses met in October, 1649; an d its very first act 
was to express the greatest respect for "the late most 
excellent and now undoubtedly sainted king." All reflec- 
tions on his memory were declared to be treasonable, as 
were any doubts that might be expressed in regard to the 
right of Charles II. to succeed him. 

The Coming of the Cavaliers. — After the king's cause 
had gone down in disaster, many Cavaliers fled from 
England to Virginia, where they were most cordially 
welcomed by the governor and by the people. Many 
persons of means belonging to the nobility, clergy, and 
gentry came over at this period. The importance of this 
immigration is shown by the fact that in 1650 Virginia 
contained about fifteen thousand inhabitants, and in 1670 
forty thousand. The coming of the Cavaliers added to 
the loyalty of the people ; for the exiles aroused sympathy 
by their misfortunes, and caused increased interest to be 
felt in royalty by the accounts they gave of the war that 
had been waged for the unfortunate king. 

The Commonwealth Asserts its Authority. — For three 
years Virginia continued to acknowledge Charles II. 
as her sovereign ; and, during this period, Parliament 
was too busy with affairs in England to give attention 
to colonies that were rebellious. But at the end of this 



THE COLONY UNDER THE COMMONWEALTH J^ 

time, it had triumphed over its enemies at home, and it 
then sent a squadron to reduce the Virginians to obedi- 
ence. The ships reached Virginia waters in March, 1652, 
and found that Governor Berkeley had made preparations 
for vigorous defense. But, when negotiations were 
opened, the Virginians agreed to acknowledge the authority 
of the Commonwealth, provided their submission was con- 
sidered as voluntary, it being understood at the same time 
that their country was not to be treated as if it had been 
conquered, but that the people were to enjoy all the liber- 
ties of free-born Englishmen, and should not be subjected 
to taxes without the consent of the House of Burgesses. 
Upon these terms a treaty was made between the Burgesses, 
who acted for the colony, and commissioners appointed by 
Parliament to represent the Commonwealth. When this 
took place, Governor Berkeley resigned, and was succeeded 
by Richard Bennet, one of the commissioners. 

The Colony Prospers during the Time of the Common- 
wealth. — During the existence of the Commonwealth in 
England, which lasted from 1649 to 1660, Virginia enjoyed 
freedom of commerce with the whole world, and along 
with it came prosperity and a rapid development of the 
country. Many of the emigrants, who had poured into 
the colony during the civil strife in England and after the 
death of the king, were men of education and property, 
who now gave their time and energies to the care of 
their plantations. Virginia grew in reputation as a de- 
sirable place in which to live. The soil was so fertile, 
was so well watered by the many rivers, creeks, and brooks 
that coursed through it, and responded so easily to cultiva- 
tion, that visions of limitless wealth were entertained as 
the result of new products, which, it was hoped, could be 
introduced. The gay-plumaged birds, the game that filled 



74 THE COLONY 

the majestic forests, the fish that were to be found in the 
waters, added to the attractions of the country, especially 
to the new settlers. It was declared to be " the best poor 
man's country in the world," and it was said, " If a happy 
peace be settled in poor England, then they in Virginia 
shall be as happy as any people under heaven." 

QUESTIONS 

i. What state of affairs in England led to civil war? 

2. How did it affect Virginia? 

3. What was the unhappy fate of Charles I. ? 

4. What was Virginia's attitude towards the Commonwealth ? 

5. Give an account of the coming of the Cavaliers. 

6. What effect did it have on the loyalty of the people? 

7. Why did the Commonwealth have to assert its authority? 

8. Upon what conditions did Virginia agree to acknowledge its 

authority ? 

9. What did Berkeley do when the House of Burgesses signed the 

treaty ? 

10. What privileges and prosperity did Virginia enjoy under the 

Commonwealth ? 

11, Why was it declared to be i; the best poor man's country in the 

world " ? 



CHAPTER X 

THE RESTORATION TAKES PLACE AND THE LOYAL COLONY 
IS OPPRESSED TILL IT IS READY TO REVOLT 

The Restoration. — In May, 1660, Charles II. ascended 
the English throne ; and the event caused much joy in 
Virginia. Even before the Commonwealth came to an 
end, it is said that Sir William Berkeley invited the king, 
who was living in exile in Holland, to come to the colony, 
and raise his standard. From this, it is supposed, the 
country obtained the name of " Old Dominion " ; for it 
was a place " where the king was king, or might have 
been, before he was king in England." There is a tradi- 
tion that Charles II., at his coronation, wore a robe made 
of silk from Virginia, in token of his appreciation of her 
loyalty. 

Berkeley's Return to Power. — Early in 1660, when it 
became evident that the end of the Commonwealth was 
drawing near, the House of Burgesses elected Berkeley 
governor; and the first act of Charles II., in regard 
to colonial matters, was to confirm the appointment of 
the stanch old royalist by sending him a commission. 

Why Attached to Royalty. — This devotion to the king 
seems inconsistent with the principles of popular freedom, 
which the people had so cherished that they had almost 
unconsciously developed a republican form of government ; 
but it must be remembered that their experience with roy- 
alty had thus far been encouraging ; for under Charles I. 

75 



7 6 



THE COLONY 




Coronation of Charles 



they had been practically independent, and during the 
interregnum, the Commonwealth left their liberties un- 
touched. From Charles II. they had a right to expect 
the very best treatment ; but they were doomed to bitter 
disappointment. 

The Navigation Laws. — Parliament, in 1660, at the very 
first session held after the Restoration, decided to put into 
operation navigation laws to secure to England a monop- 
oly of the colonial trade. These measures required that 
all tobacco exported from Virginia should be shipped in 
English vessels going to England, and that all foreign 
goods imported must be brought to Virginia in English 
ships. This policy stopped the free trade which Virginia 
had for some time enjoyed with the world, and worked 
the greatest injustice. When it went into operation, the 
result was that a ring of some forty or fifty English mer- 
chants had the whole trade in their hands, and reaped 



THE RESTORATION 77 

almost all the profit that came from the production of 
tobacco, fleecing alike the rich and the poor. Tobacco fell 
to a low price, while the cost of all imported goods was 
greatly enhanced. The colony sent Governor Berkeley to 
England to protest against the enforcement of these unjust 
laws; but he returned without accomplishing his mission, 
though he secured some very advantageous patents for 
himself. 

The Royalists in Power in the Colony. — Even in Vir- 
ginia a radical change took place after the Restoration. 
During the Commonwealth, the impulses for the advance- 
ment of the masses, which had been stirring England and 
the world at large, had been quietly at work in the colony, 
and had caused greater consideration to be shown to the 
common people, as is evidenced by the character of the 
colonial legislation that took place during this period. 
Now all this was changed ; and it is not hard to see why 
it was so, if it be remembered that Virginia was but a part 
of England transplanted, and contained the same differ- 
ences in society. The germ of an aristocracy had existed 
from the first settlement, and its rising power had been 
much increased by the emigrant royalists who came over 
during the interregnum. With the Restoration, this aris- 
tocracy came into power. A political revolution had taken 
place in Virginia, which proved fatal to many of the rights 
and privileges cherished by the people. 

Oppressive Colonial Legislation. — The House of Bur- 
gesses quietly repealed the law which conferred upon 
the members a term of service extending through only 
two years, and thus legislated itself into an indefi- 
nite continuance of power. The government was now 
conducted in an expensive manner. All the officers re- 
ceived exorbitant salaries, and the people were heavily 



y8 THE COLONY 

taxed to pay them. Oppressive taxes were levied also 
for other purposes, such as for arms and ammunition, to 
provide cannon and to maintain forts. The people could 
not see that the funds were always used for the purposes 
for which they were raised. They did see, however, that 
Governor Berkeley and his friends grew continually richer. 
Not only the taxes themselves, but the method by which 
they were levied caused the greatest dissatisfaction. They 
were laid, not on property, but on persons. They were 
poll taxes so heavy that they proved an intolerable burden 
to the poor, while the rich felt them but little. Religious 
intolerance came in also to increase the general discontent, 
laws being enacted which punished severely all dissenters. 
Finally, even political rights were abridged. In 1670, 
the right of suffrage, which for fourteen years had been 
enjoyed by all freemen, was restricted to freeholders and 
housekeepers. 

Obstinacy of Berkeley. — In vain did the people protest 
that the Burgesses no longer represented them, and call 
for a new election. Berkeley persistently refused to dis- 
solve a House which proved so subservient to his will, 
saying, in explanation of his refusal, that they were more 
valuable on account of their experience than new men 
would be. For twelve years complaints were sent to 
England against Berkeley, but they availed nothing. At 
last patience ceased to be a virtue, and there were indi- 
cations enough that the people, exasperated by their 
multiplied grievances, were ready to rise against their 
oppressors ; but Berkeley heeded not the mutterings of 
the storm that was gathering. 

Criminal Prodigality of Charles II. — Oppression, unjust 
legislation, and robbery under the form of law were surely 
enough to exasperate a people so liberty-loving as the Vir- 



THE RESTORATION 79 

ginians ; but this was not all. The king, to whom they 
had been ever loyal, showed himself so utterly indifferent 
to their rights, that a large part of the population felt 
insecure in the possession of their homes. Charles II., 
while wandering in exile, soon after the execution of his 
father, had granted to a number of distressed Cavaliers 
the stretch of country between the Rappahannock and the 
Potomac rivers, known as the Northern Neck, by which 
act he gave to his favorites much land that had been long 
in cultivation. But now he committed an act that sur- 
passed all others in prodigality. In 1673 he gave to Lords 
Culpeper and Arlington " all that entire tract, territory, 
and dominion of land and water called Virginia, together 
with the territory of Accomack," for the term of thirty- 
one years. All rents and escheats were to belong to them, 
as was the power to convey all vacant lands and, indeed, 
to manage matters in general as they wished. 

Ready for Revolt. — When this act of the king became 
known, loud was the outcry raised against it. The whole 
population rose in protest. They had been loyal to 
the king in the past ; but now they were only kept from 
breaking out in open rebellion by the efforts of influential 
men, who restrained them. The House of Burgesses in 
alarm dispatched envoys to England to bring about a 
change in the terms of the grant or else to buy it up for 
the benefit of the colony. 

QUESTIONS 

1. How was the news of the restoration of Charles II. received in 

Virginia? 

2. From what incident is Virginia supposed to have obtained the 

name of Old Dominion? 

3. What tradition is given in connection with the coronation of 

Charles II.? 



80 THE COLONY 

4. By what authority did Berkeley again assume charge of the gov- 

ernment ? 

5. Why was Virginia so attached to royalty? 

6. Did she receive considerate treatment from the king? 

7. What were the Navigation Laws? 

8. How did the English merchants take advantage of these laws? 

9. What action did the colony take, and with what result? 

10. Under the Commonwealth, what advancement of the masses took 

place ? 

11. What change occurred after the Restoration? 

12. Give an account of the oppressive colonial legislation. 

13. Why did Governor Berkeley persistently refuse to dissolve the 

House of Burgesses? 

14. What was the result of his obstinacy? 

15. Why did the people feel insecure? 

16. While in exile, what part of Virginia had Charles II. given away? 

17. What was his crowning act of prodigality ? 

18. When this became known, what did the people do? 

19. How did the House of Burgesses quiet them? 



CHAPTER XI 

BACON'S REBELLION 

Justice too long Delayed. — The king informed the envoys 
"that he was graciously inclined to favor his said subjects 
of Virginia," and promised a new charter for "the set- 
tlement and confirmation of all things," which he even 
ordered to be drafted ; but notwithstanding the most per- 
sistent efforts made by the colony's representatives, it was 
so much delayed that before it was issued, a new cause of 
alarm furnished the people with what they desired — a 
pretext for appearing in arms in an effort to resist oppres- 
sion by revolution. 

Indian Troubles. — The Indians furnished the occasion 
for a popular uprising. In 1675, they began commit- 
ting depredations and murders in some of the frontier 
settlements, and there were rumors that all the friendly 
tribes were about to break the peace that had existed 
for thirty years. There appeared, too, to be sufficient 
cause for such apprehension ; for all along the border 
plantations prowling savages in blind fury murdered men, 
till the people became frenzied at the horrors of insecurity 
that hung over their homes. An appeal for protection 
was made to the governor ; but he showed so little dispo- 
sition to take prompt action that a suspicion was aroused 
that he secretly favored the Indians ; and it was even 
hinted in explanation of his tardiness that he feared a 
war would injure the beaver trade with the savages, of 

VI KG. HIST. 6 8l 



82 THE COLONY 

which he had secured a monopoly for himself and his 
friends. Early in 1676, he did order out a force, under 
the command of Sir Henry Chicheley, to pursue the 
Susquehanna Indians who had slain thirty-six persons 
in the upper settlements of the Rappahannock and Poto- 
mac rivers ; but as the troops were about to set out, 
he suddenly changed his mind and had them disbanded. 
At last the people began to organize for their own de- 
fense ; and soon after in the territory around the heads of 
the James and the York rivers, the citizens, including 
most if not all of the civil and military officers, tumul- 
tously assembled and selected Nathaniel Bacon, Jr., as 
their leader. 

The People's Leader. — Bacon was a native of Suffolk 
County, England, and was of good descent, his family 
apparently belonging to the gentry. He was a cousin of 
Lord Culpeper, and his wife a daughter of Sir John 
Duke. He was educated at St. Catherine's College, Cam- 
bridge, where he entered in 1660, and took his M. A. 
degree in 1667. Reared during the stormy period of the 
Puritan contest against royalty, he had been influenced by 
the spirit of his times, and was animated by an ardent 
love of freedom rather than by an attachment to mon- 
archy. He possessed natural talents of a high order, was 
eloquent as a speaker, engaging in manner, violent when 
excited, and recklessly brave. He had settled about the 
year 1672 on the upper James River, his plantation being 
one upon which murders had been committed by the sav- 
ages. The high esteem in which he was held is attested 
by the fact that, though he had been in the colony only 
about three years, he had been appointed to a place in the 
Council, an unusual honor for one so young, for he was 
but twenty-nine. Such was Nathaniel Bacon, whom his 



BACON'S REBELLK >\ 



*3 



countrymen enthusiastically chose as their commander, 
and well was he qualified for the office. 

Other prominent leaders on the popular side were Rich- 
ard Lawrence, a brilliant Oxford man, and Drummond, a 
Scotchman, who had been governor of North Carolina. 

Declared to be Rebels. — Bacon's men collected their 
arms, and asked to be led against the Indians. But their 




Bacon's Rebellion 

commander, before complying with 
their request, applied to the governor 

for a commission, so that his acts might have the sanc- 
tion of law. Berkeley did not send the commission ; and 
so Bacon, in May, 1676, set out on his expedition without 
it, deriving his authority directly from the will of the 
people. But as he was on his way news reached him that 
he and his men had been declared to be rebels by the 
governor, and ordered to disperse. Some men of estates 



84 THE COLONY 

obeyed, but the rest continued on their way to the frontier 
and, after defeating the Indians, started back to the settle- 
ment. 

Berkeley makes Concessions. — In the meantime the gov- 
ernor had taken vigorous action. He collected troops and, 
leaving Jamestown in haste, pursued Bacon ; but he was 
suddenly stopped by the alarming news that all the lower 
counties along the James and York rivers had flamed out 
in rebellion under the leadership of Joseph Ingram and 
George Wakelet. Berkeley returned to Jamestown, and 
in view of the difficulties that faced him, decided to make 
some concessions. He accordingly dissolved the Bur- 
gesses, dismantled the frontier forts, which were the 
source of much complaint as being a useless burden, and 
in other ways showed a conciliatory spirit in the hope that 
he might keep the colony loyal to his authority. 

A New House of Burgesses. — Berkeley ordered a new 
House of Burgesses to be elected, and the result was a 
surprise. The feeling of the people against the restric- 
tion of the suffrage was shown by the election, in some of 
the counties, of freedmen as burgesses. Bacon was unani- 
mously chosen a burgess from his county of Henrico. The 
new House, which met early in June, represented the peo- 
ple, and a majority of the members were in sympathy with 
Bacon. 

Bacons Arrest and Apology. — When Bacon appeared 
to take his seat in the House, Sir William Berkeley did the 
only thing that he could do under the circumstances — 
arrested him. But he speedily paroled him, and an effort 
was made to harmonize matters. There was in the Council 
a near relative of Bacon, Nathaniel Bacon, Sr., "a rich, 
politic man." He, as was believed, induced Bacon, "not 
without much pains," however, to make a written apology 



BACON'S REBELLION 



85 



for his acts. Bacon agreed to do this, his friends claimed, 
on the promise of a commission to fight the Indians. After 
he had thus humbled himself, he was pardoned by the gov- 
ernor, and restored to his seat in the Council. When this 
took place, many men from the upper country, who had 
hurried to Jamestown on hearing of Bacon's arrest, re- 
turned to their homes ; and for a few days it looked as if 
the trouble was at an end. 



Sb el & TTBHi 








•sm<mm 






x 




u 



Berkeley and Bacon 



Bacon's Flight and Return. — If a commission was prom- 
ised Bacon, none was ever sent to him. After waiting 
several days, he grew apprehensive that the governor's 
generous action in pardoning him was but a cloak to con- 
ceal his real purpose. Fearing that he would be arrested 
again after his friends had left, he fled from Jamestown, 
but in a short time returned at the head of about five 
hundred armed men. The House of Burgesses met in 



86 THE COLONY 

haste. The governor and his Council came out of the 
assembly room, and Bacon advanced to meet them. 
" Here, shoot me, 'fore God, a fair mark — shoot!" cried 
Berkeley. " No," Bacon replied, " may it please your 
honor, we will not hurt a hair of your head, nor of any 
other man. We are come for a commission to save our 
lives from the Indians, which you have so often promised, 
and we will have it before we go." 

Bacon Before the Burgesses. — Bacon himself appeared 
before the Burgesses, and addressed them on the Indian 
troubles, on the condition of the public revenues, and 
on the grievances of the country. He was the next day 
appointed by the House commander in chief against the 
Indians, and this Governor Berkeley ratified. An act 
was passed pardoning Bacon and his followers for their 
proceedings, and a letter was even drafted to the king, 
highly commending them. The House also passed a 
number of salutary laws that were well adapted to reform 
abuses and to relieve the people ; and to these Berkeley, 
who was for the time completely subdued, assented. 

Berkeley Takes Refuge in Accomac. — Berkeley, finding 
that he could not depend on the support of the House 
of Burgesses, dissolved it, and then repaired to Gloucester, 
counting upon the loyalty of the planters there. He again 
declared Bacon a rebel, and, raising the royal standard, 
tried to rally the citizens to its defense. But he received 
only a half-hearted support ; for, while the people acknowl- 
edged him as governor, they informed him that " they 
thought it not convenient at present to declare themselves 
against Bacon, as he was now advancing against the com- 
mon enemy." The governor did not remain long unmo- 
lested, for Bacon, on hearing of the proclamation he had 
issued in Gloucester, abandoned the expedition against the 



BACON'S REBELLION 8y 

Indians, and marched to attack him. But Sir William has- 
tily embarked in a small vessel and sailed across the Chesa- 
peake Bay to the " Kingdom of Accomac," as it was called, 
which was regarded as a separate country, though it was 
controlled by Virginia. 

The Convention at Middle Plantation. — At the news of 
the governor's flight, Bacon addressed a proclamation to 
the people of Virginia, inviting all who loved their country 
and their homes to assemble in convention and throw off 
the tyranny of Berkeley. • The call was answered with 
alacrity. The most eminent men of the colony, four of 
whom were members of the Governor's Council, met at 
Middle Plantation, now Williamsburg, on August 3, 1676. 
The convention, after a stormy session, subscribed to an 
oath to make common cause with Bacon against the 
Indians, to support him against Berkeley, and even to 
resist any force that might be sent from England till the 
people's cause could be laid before the king. This oath 
was prescribed by Bacon, and it was administered by the 
lawful magistrates in nearly every county. 

The Indians Defeated and Dispersed. — Bacon, now feel- 
ing sure of the support of the people, turned his attention 
to the Indians. He attacked and defeated the Appomattox 
tribe in the neighborhood of the present city of Peters- 
burg, and then scattered the savages that were on the 
Nottoway, the Meherrin, and the Roanoke rivers. The 
Indian power was now broken, and Bacon disbanded most 
of his troops. 

Berkeley's Return to Jamestown. — While Bacon was 
pursuing the Indians, Giles Bland, one of his followers, 
with a fleet of four ships sailed for Accomac to capture 
the governor. But one of the men turned traitor to 
Bacon's cause and gave up one of the ships to Berkeley, 



88 THE COLONY 

who then captured the others. After this stroke of good 
fortune, Sir William secured sixteen or seventeen sloops, 
and by means of this fleet transported his soldiers, num- 
bering from six hundred to a thousand, across the bay ; 

and on September 7, 
1676, he took posses- 
sion of Jamestown. 

Destruction of 
Jamestown. — When 
Bacon heard what 
had happened, he 
started at once for 
Jamestow n, with 
such of his followers 
as he could hastily 
collect, and traveled 
" with marvelous ce- 
lerity, outstripping 
the swift wings of 

Destruction of Jamestown fame „ Ag he ^ 

vanced, reinforcements joined him; but, when he reached 
Jamestown, his force was still inferior to Berkeley's. He 
prepared to cannonade the town ; but Berkeley, evacuating 
it in haste, embarked with his troops on board the ships 
which lay in the river. Bacon entered the town ; and, 
as his army was too small for him to leave a garrison in 
the place, after consulting with his officers, he decided to 
burn it so that it should no more furnish a refuge for the 
royalists. This was done on September 19, 1676, Lawrence 
and Drummond putting the torch to their own homes. 
The destruction was complete; and now only the ruins of 
the tower of the church and the graves in the adjacent 
cemetery mark the site of Virginia's ancient capital. 




BACON'S REBELLION 



89 



Death of Bacon. — Bacon now had all Virginia with him, 
and he was full of hope that he could establish for the 
colony a free government subject to Great Britain; but he 
did not live long enough to carry out any of his plans. 
During the siege of Jamestown he contracted a fatal sick- 
ness ; and in October, 1676, he died at the house of Mr. 
Tate, in Gloucester. He was secretly buried by his faith- 
ful followers, and the place of his interment has never 
been discovered. 

Collapse of the Rebellion. — At the news of Bacon's 

death there was widespread dismay ; and a momentous 

change at once took place. There was 

,. . no leader to succeed 

him ; and his followers 
became broken up into 
separate bands, which 
Sir William Berkeley 
attacked and defeated 
in detail. The people 
grew weary of the des- 
ultory warfare that was 
carried on, in many 
cases, it appeared, only 
for plunder and re- 
venge, and longed for 
a return of peace. 
Berkeley exerted 
himself to encourage 
this pacific spirit. Finally, he entered into negotiations 
with Ingram and Wakelet, two of the most influential 
leaders, offering them full pardon if they would lay down 
their arms; and upon these terms they surrendered. 
Thus the rebellion which, in September, 1676, was tri- 




Ruins of Jamestown 



90 THE COLONY 

umphant everywhere, had, by the end of the year, fallen 
to pieces for lack of a head; and Governor Berkeley was 
again in authority. 

Berkeley's Revenge. — Now that Sir William Berkeley 
was in possession of the government again, instead of 
adopting a policy calculated to heal the wounds of the 
colony, he displayed a spirit of revenge, which seemed 
to kill all humane feelings in his heart. He threw into 
prison many who had been prominent in the rebellion ; 
and, knowing that when they were brought to trial they 
would be cleared by juries, he established martial law, by 
which men were condemned to death without fair trial, 
and then hurried off to execution. 1 Thus he brought 
about a reign of terror in the land, no man knowing 
when he might be arrested and hanged. Finally, after 
twenty-three executions had taken place, the House of 
Burgesses, in February, 1677, restrained him, by voting 
an address " that the governor would spill no more blood." 
" Had we let him alone," said one of the members, " he 
would have hanged half the country." "The old fool," 
exclaimed Charles II., on hearing of Berkeley's acts, "has 
hanged more men in that naked country than I have done 
for the murder of my father ! " 

Berkeley's Recall and Death. — Sir William Berkeley was 
recalled by the king, and passed out of office on the 27th 
of April, 2677. When he departed, the Virginians kindled 
bonfires and fired salutes, while a wave of joy passed over 
the land. On reaching England, he found that his con- 
duct in Virginia was looked upon with horror by his 
friends, and that he was not sustained by the king. All 

1 Drummond was captured, and Berkeley, after telling him that he should 
be hanged in half an hour, had him executed in a very short time. Lawrence 
escaped from the colony and was never heard of afterwards. 



BACON'S REBELLION 9 1 

this is said to have broken his heart, and on July 13, 1677, 
he died under a load of infamy, which dimmed the fair 
reputation he had won in his youth. 

QUESTIONS 

1. What did the king promise? 

2. Did he send a new charter at once? 

3. What cause for alarm now demanded attention? 

4. Give an account of the Indian depredations. 

5. How did Governor Berkeley treat the appeal of the people for pro- 

tection? 

6. Of what did they suspect him ? 

7. Finally, what action did the people take? 

8. Who was Nathaniel Bacon, and why was he chosen leader? 

9. What fact attested the esteem in which he was held? 
10. Give the names of two other men chosen. 

n. What request did Bacon make of Governor Berkeley? 

1 2 . Was it granted ? 

13. By whose authority did Bacon set out, and what news reached him ? 

14. In the meantime what action had the governor taken? 

15. By what was he prevented from carrying out his plan? 

16. What did he do now? 

17. What was the sentiment of the new House of Burgesses? 

18. Tell of Bacon's arrest and apology. 

19. Give an account of his flight from Jamestown and return. 

20. What did he demand from the governor? 

21. On what subjects did Bacon address the Burgesses, and with what 

result ? 

22. Why did Berkeley dissolve the House of Burgesses, and repair to 

Gloucester? 

23. What did he again declare Bacon? 

24. What did the people inform Berkeley? 

2$. On hearing the governor's proclamation, what did Bacon do? 

26. Where had Berkeley gone? 

27 What proclamation did Bacon make ? 

28. Give an account of the convention at Middle Plantation. 

29. To what did Bacon now turn his attention? 

30. Tell of Berkeley's return to Jamestown. 



92 THE COLONY 

31. Give an account of the burning of Jamestown. 

32. What is left to mark the site of Virginia's ancient capital? 

33. Tell of Bacon's death. 

34. What happened when the people heard of his death? 

35. How did Berkeley try to pacify them? 

36. In what way did he seek revenge? 

37. Finally what did the House of Burgesses have to do? 

38. What did Charles II. exclaim on hearing of Berkeley's acts? 

39. Give an account of his recall and death. 



REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1. Give an account of the struggle in England between the king and 

Parliament. 

2. What was the Commonwealth of England ? 

3. How did it assert its authority in Virginia, and how did the colony 

prosper under its rule ? 

4. What is said of the restoration of Charles II. ? 

5. What were the navigation laws, and how did they affect the com- 

merce of Virginia ? 

6. Tell of the oppressive colonial legislation, and of Berkeley's ob- 

stinacy. 

7. What is said of the criminal prodigality of Charles II., and to what 

did it lead ? 

8. Who was Nathaniel Bacon ? 

9. Why did Berkeley declare Bacon and his men rebels ? 

10. Give the leading facts of Bacon's Rebellion up to the convention 

at Middle Plantation. 

1 1. What was done at this convention ? 

12. Describe the destruction of Jamestown. 

13. Tell of Bacon's death, and the collapse of the Rebellion. 

14. Describe Berkeley's revenge, and his death. 



CHAPTER XII 

FROM BACON'S REBELLION TO THE FRENCH AND INDIAN 

WAR 

After Bacon's Rebellion. — The efforts of the people 
under Bacon to secure better government ended in failure. 
All the tyrannical legislation that had been enacted, in- 
cluding the restriction of the suffrage, was put into full 
operation again ; and freedom in the colony depended 
entirely on the royal will, except in so far as the inhabi- 
tants enjoyed the rights of Englishmen, which the com- 
mon law accorded them. The rebellion was made a 
pretext by the king for refusing the liberal charter he 
had promised ; and the one that was finally sent over 
was unsatisfactory, and did not contain a single political 
franchise. 

The Tobacco Rebellion. — So dissatisfied were the people 
that they would have revolted again had not the disastrous 
effects of Bacon's Rebellion been fresh in their minds. 
As it was, small disturbances did occur, notably one which 
is known as the Tobacco Rebellion. This was partly the 
result of a law passed by the House of Burgesses to en- 
courage the building of towns, which required ships to "be 
loaded at specified places on the rivers instead of at the 
different plantations, the idea being that the observance of 
this law would render the erection of warehouses necessary, 
and that thus the foundations of cities would be laid. Many 
planters refused to obey the law, and, as ships were not 

93 



94 THE COLONY 

allowed to touch at their wharves, they were prevented 
from disposing of their tobacco. This, together with the 
navigation laws, caused so great dissatisfaction that, in 
1682, riotous proceedings took place ; and in the counties 
of Gloucester, New Kent, and Middlesex, the planters 
destroyed a large part of the growing crop by cutting up 
the plants. The disturbances were quelled by the militia ; 
and several of the ringleaders were hung. One, it is said, 
agreed to build a bridge, and on this condition was par- 
doned. 

Governors not Interested in the People. — The royal gov- 
ernors who came and went during the period just after 
the rebellion showed, as a rule, but little interest in the 
people, and generally regarded their office as a means of 
advancing their own interests. One of the most avaricious 
was Lord Culpeper, who was appointed in 1675, but did 
not come to the colony till 1680. He sought perquisites 
of every kind, and endeavored to make the most money 
in the shortest time possible. Some relief came in 1684, 
when the Culpeper and Arlington grant was annulled and 
Virginia again became a royal province. 

Good Effects of the English Revolution of 1688. — The 
English revolution, which drove James II. from the 
throne, because he violated the fundamental laws of the 
land, and endeavored to subvert the constitution, caused 
government to be regarded as a trust to be used for 
the benefit of the people, and not as an inheritance to be 
abused as a sovereign might see fit. The triumph of these 
ideas in England led, in a few years, to beneficial results in 
Virginia. The governors became less arbitrary, approved 
such -legislation as was conducive to the good of the 
colony, and, in general, showed more consideration for 
the people. In 1690, when Governor Nicholson came to 



CLOSE OF THE SEVENTEENTH ( ENTURY 



95 



the colony, the people were on the eve of rebelling again, 
but he adopted a mild and conciliatory policy in accord- 
ance with the now views of government, and the danger 
of an insurrection gradually passed away. 

The Coming of the Huguenots. — Toward the end of the 
seventeenth century, the persecution of the Huguenots 
on account of their religion began in France, and forty 
thousand took refuge in England. A number of them 




William and Mary College 



afterwards came to Virginia, where they found happy 
homes. Their principal settlement was at Manakin town 
on the upper James. These emigrants were brave, intel- 
ligent, and industrious. From them descended many 
distinguished families. 

The Close of the Seventeenth Century. — As the century 
drew to a close, the people became much interested in the 
idea of having a college, where the young men could acquire 
the higher education which they were forced to seek in 



g6 THE COLONY 

England. The matter was pushed with vigor, and resulted 
in the founding of William and Mary College in 1693, 
named in honor of the reigning sovereigns. It was located 
at Middle Plantation, where five years later Governor 
Nicholson also founded the city of Williamsburg, to which 
he moved the seat of government. He designed that the 
streets of the new city should, when laid out, form the 
letters W and M as a compliment to William and Mary; 
but this plan was never fully carried out. When the 
century ended, Virginia had a population of seventy thou- 
sand, and was rapidly advancing in prosperity and im- 
portance. 

Alexander Spotswood. — In 17 10, the illustrious Colonel 
Alexander Spotswood, a gallant officer, who had served 
under Marlborough, and had been wounded in the famous 
battle of Blenheim, was appointed governor. He was in 
the prime of manhood, courteous in manner, active and 
enterprising in nature. He met with a most cordial wel- 
come, and he brought with him a right the Virginians had 
long claimed — the great writ of habeas corpus} Governor 
Spotswood had the welfare of the colony at heart, and 
exerted himself to develop its resources. He established 
the first iron furnaces ever located in America, and on ac- 
count of this he was called the "Tubal Cain" of Virginia. 

Spotswood Crosses the Blue Ridge. — A few years after 
he reached the colony, a love of adventure filled him 
with the desire to penetrate the country beyond the Blue 
Ridge, which had been supposed for a long time to pre- 
sent a barrier forever impassable to men. In 17 16, he 
with a number of his companions, well mounted and at- 
tended by "rangers, pioneers and indians," set out on a 

1 The object of the writ of habeas corpus is to prevent unjust imprisonment, 
the literal meaning of the words being "you may have the body." 



RICHMOND AND PETERSBU RG FOUNDED 97 

journey of exploration. They succeeded in ascending the 
range, and on its top drank the health of the king, after 
which they went down into the beautiful valley, naming 
the river running through it, which we now call the Shen- 
andoah, the Euphrates. Spotswood, to commemorate his 
triumph, presented to his companions small golden horse- 
shoes, set with garnets and other jewels inscribed with the 
motto, "Sic juvat transcendere montes." * From this inci- 
dent the order of the " Knights of the Golden Horseshoe " 
originated. Spotswood ceased to be governor in 1722; but 
he spent the remainder of his days in Virginia, 2 where his 
memory is much honored and where many of his descend- 
ants still live. 

Richmond and Petersburg Founded. — In 1733, Colonel 
William Byrd 3 laid the foundation of two new cities at 
places " naturally intended for Marts." These he named 

1 Thus it is a pleasure to cross the mountains. 

2 Spotswood lived at the old town of Germanna in Spotsylvania County. 
Colonel Byrd narrates the following interesting incident of a visit he made to 
the ex-governor in 1 732. " Here I arrived about three o'clock, and found only 
Mrs. Spotswood at home, who received her old acquaintance with many a gra- 
cious smile. I was carried into a room elegantly set off with pier-glasses, the 
largest of which came soon after to an odd misfortune. Among other favorite 
animals that cheered this lady's solitude, a brace of deer ran familiarly about the 
house, and one of them came to stare at me as a stranger. But unluckily spy- 
ing his own figure in the glass, he made a spring over the tea-table that stood 
under it, and shattered the glass to pieces, and falling back upon the tea-table, 
made a terrible fracas among the china. This exploit was so sudden, and ac- 
companied with such a noise, that it surprised me, and perfectly frightened 
Mrs. Spotswood. But it was worth all the damage to see the moderation and 
good humor with which she bore the disaster." 

3 William Byrd (1674-1744), born at Westover, Va., was the first native 
author. lie was educated m England, and was a member of the Royal Society. 
Returning to Virginia, he was made receiver-general of revenues, was then 
appointed public agent to the Court and Ministry of England. He was also 
president of the Council of the colony. His writings show much wit and culture. 

VIRG. HIST. — 7 



98 THE COLONY 

Richmond and Petersburg ; and they soon grew into sub- 
stantial towns. The Virginia Gazette, the first newspaper 
that appeared in the colony, was issued in Williamsburg in 
1736; and its columns contained an advertisement invit- 
ing everybody to come and live at Richmond. 

Settlement of the Valley. — The people of Virginia made 
their homes first near the seacoast, along the lowland rivers. 
Up these they gradually extended their settlements till, 
about a hundred years after the founding of Jamestown, 
they had reached the mountains. These, Spotswood had 
shown were not impassable ; and so some years later a 
wave of population from the lowlands began to cross the 
mountains and to pour itself into the fertile Shenandoah 
valley. Just before this happened, a tide of immigration 
from Pennsylvania had come into the lower valley. This 
consisted of Scotch-Irish and Germans, who had been 
drawn to the country by rumors of its many advantages. 
These early settlers of the valley were of excellent mate- 
rial to make good citizens. The history of the Scotch- 
Irish in America has never been fully written. When 
this is done, it will appear that their immigration was next 
in importance to the coming of the Cavaliers to Virginia 
and the Puritan migration to New England, so great has 
been its influence. 

QUESTIONS 

1. What was the condition of the colony after Bacons Rebellion? 

2. What was the Tobacco Rebellion? 

3. How did the royal governors regard the people? 

4. In what manner did Lord Culpeper treat the people? 

5. Relief came in what way? 

6. How was the English revolution of 1688 beneficial to Virginia? 

7. What policy did the government adopt, and with what result? 

8. Who were the Huguenots, and why did they come to Virginia? 

9. When and where was William and Mary College founded ? 



SETTLEMENT OF THE VALLEY 99 

10. What city was founded at the same place? 

1 r. Describe Governor Nicholson's design for the streets. 

12. What population did Virginia have at the close of the seventeenth 

century ? 

13. Who was Alexander Spotswood, and how was he received? 

14. What legal right did he bring to the people? 

15. What did he establish in Virginia? 

16. Give an account of Spotswood's crossing the Blue Ridge. 

17. What did they do on reaching the summit, and how did they com- 

memorate the event? 

18. When and by whom were the cities of Richmond and Petersburg 

founded ? 

19. What invitation did the Virginia Gazette give to the public? 

20. Give an account of the gradual settlement of the valley of Virginia. 

21. Of what nationality were its settlers? 



CHAPTER XIII 

THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 

The Question of Supremacy. — The rivalry existing be- 
tween France and England, which had caused so many 
bloody wars in Europe, was transferred also to America. 
Both had planted extensive colonies ; and, as these grew, 
their interests came into conflict. Which nation was to 
rule in the New World? This question had to be decided; 
and as the middle of the eighteenth century drew near, 
it was evident that the settlement was not far off. 

The Plan of France. — The French had secured posses- 
sion of the two great rivers of the country, the Missis- 
sippi and the St. Lawrence. They had Canadian France 
in the north and Louisianian France in the south ; and 
they conceived the bold idea of connecting these settle- 
ments. So they built a line of forts which ran from 
Quebec to the Great Lakes, and then down the Illinois 
and the Mississippi rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. Thus 
they planned to hem the English colonies in on the Atlan- 
tic, and not to allow them to extend themselves further 
toward the west. 

The English Plan. — The English suddenly awoke to the 
fact that they were about to lose the heart of the conti- 
nent, and decided to colonize the rich country west of the 
Alleghany Mountains. For this purpose the Ohio Com- 
pany was formed ; and in 1752, it received a grant of half 
a million acres of land on the east bank of the upper 



THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 



101 



Ohio — the territory now contained in West Virginia and 
southwest Pennsylvania. 

Protest from Virginia. — The French watched the move- 
ment the English were making, and decided to stop it by 
building a new line of forts from Lake Erie to the head of 
inland navigation — the point where the Alleghany River 
joins with the Monongahela to form the Ohio. In carry- 
ing out this plan, they proposed without ceremony to pos- 
sess themselves of territory that belonged to Virginia. 
When this design was sus- 
pected, Robert Dinwiddie, who 
was then governor, resolved to 
send a messenger to M. de St. 
Pierre, the French commander, 
who was at a fort about fifteen 
miles south of Lake Erie, to 
inform him that the territory 
on the Ohio belonged to Vir- 
ginia, and to protest against 
any invasion of it. 

The Envoy Selected. — For 
the discharge of this duty, 
Governor Dinwiddie selected a 
native Virginian, George Washington, who was destined to 
fill a prominent place in the history of his country. He 
was born in Westmoreland County on February 22, 1732, 
and descended from a family that belonged to good Eng- 
lish stock. His father died when he was but ten years 
old, and so he had learned at an early age to rely upon 
himself. Though he had received but a common school 
education, yet he had made the best use of his opportuni- 
ties ; and when sixteen years old had been engaged by 
Lord Fairfax to survey land he owned across the Blue 




102 THE COLONY 

Ridge. This led to a lifelong friendship between the two 
men ; and Washington doubtless derived much benefit 
from his association with Fairfax, who had grown up in 
the most elegant society in London. Washington in all 
his actions during his boyhood and early manhood had 
borne the highest reputation for judgment, administrative 
ability, and integrity of moral character. He was just 
twenty-one when he set out on his dangerous mission. 

The Journey and the Result. — The journey was full of 
perils and hardships ; but finally Washington reached his 
destination. M. de St. Pierre received him most courte- 
ously ; but, when he read Dinwiddie's letter, he sent back 
the reply that, in all he had done, he had been acting 
under the instructions of the governor of Canada, and that 
he should continue to obey orders, as was the duty of a 
soldier. With this unsatisfactory answer, Washington 
was forced to return. His journal giving an account of 
his expedition, which was published both in Virginia and 
in England, first unfolded the hostile intentions of the 
French. It was now seen that their encroachments could 
only be stopped by an appeal to arms, which would involve 
a contest with the Indians also, for they had formed an 
alliance with the French. 

The Opening of Hostilities. — In January, 1754, a com- 
pany of Virginia pioneers, less than fifty in number, took 
possession of the forks of the Ohio River, where Pittsburg 
now stands, which was the strategic point of the whole 
disputed territory, and commenced building a fort. But 
in April they were dispersed by the French, who com- 
pleted the stronghold, and named it Fort Duquesne, in 
honor of the nobleman who was governor of Canada. In 
the meantime Virginia had equipped a small force which, 
under the command of Washington, was pushing on 



THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 103 

toward the forks of the Ohio. But, on the way, Wash- 
ington learned that the French had already secured pos- 
session of the coveted position. He continued his march, 
however, till he reached a place called Great Meadows, 
about forty miles distant from Fort Duquesne, where he 
met and defeated a small French force. He then halted 
and built Fort Necessity. This the French besieged and 
captured, but allowed Washington and his men to march 
back to Virginia: 

England sends General Braddock to Virginia. — The affair 
at Great Meadows caused the English government to take 
vigorous action. Early in 1755, one thousand of the king's 
regular troops were sent over, first to capture Fort Duquesne 
and after this other French forts toward the Great Lakes. 
These were under the command of General Edward Brad- 
dock, who was a brave man ; but he made the fatal mistake 
of supposing that war could be carried on with success in an 
American wilderness on the same plan as upon the plains 
of Europe. Warnings were repeatedly given him that he 
had to fight, not only the French, but also the Indians, 
whose peculiar method of warfare, added to the wild char- 
acter of the country, gave them an advantage over regular 
troops, and made them an enemy to be feared. To Benja- 
min Franklin, who spoke to him of the danger he would 
have to guard against from this source, he replied im- 
patiently, "These savages may be indeed a formidable 
enemy to raw American militia, but upon the king's 
regular and disciplined troops, sir, it is impossible to make 
any impression." 

Braddock's Defeat. — Some time was consumed in prepa- 
rations ; but finally the army, reinforced by about one 
thousand colonial soldiers, began to move toward Fort 
Duquesne, Braddock confident that an easy victory was 



104 THE COLONY 

before him. In July the army crossed the Monongaheki 
River, at a point about ten miles from the fort, where it 
was attacked by a force of Canadians and Indians, and 
literally cut to pieces. Half the English fell, killed or 
wounded, and the remainder fled panic-stricken toward 
Virginia. General Braddock received a mortal wound, 
from the effects of which he died. Washington, who had 
accompanied the expedition as a member of Braddock's 
staff, put himself at the head of the colonial troops, and 
covered the retreat of the regulars as far as was possible. 
Thus the campaign that was to accomplish so much ended 
in dire disaster. 

Predatory Inroads on the Frontier. — The whole western 
frontier of Virginia was now unprotected. The Indians in 
the country toward the Ohio, encouraged by the success 
that attended their arms in the contest with Braddock, 
began boldly to attack the frontier, and even advanced as 
far as the neighborhood of Winchester, their line of march 
being always marked by murders and outrages of the most 
blood-curdling kind. 

Virginia Defends her Frontiers. — The House of Bur- 
gesses raised and equipped additional forces which were 
put under the command of Washington, who was so much 
distressed by the conditions confronting him that, while 
at Winchester, he wrote Governor Fauquier a letter in 
which he said : " The supplicating tears of the women 
and moving petitions of the men melt me into such deadly 
sorrow that I solemnly declare, if I know my own mind, I 
could offer myself a willing sacrifice to the butchering 
enemy, provided that would contribute to the people's 
ease." He exerted himself to the utmost to stop the 
atrocities of the savages, building a fort at Winchester and 
others along the border, to which the distressed inhabitants 



THE FRENCH AM) INDIAN WAR 105 

could fly for refuge ; and he met with a wonderful degree 
of success in his efforts, when the limited supply of men 
and means at his command are taken into consideration. 

End of the War. — For some time, in the struggle that 
was going on, success seemed about to rest with the 
French; but in 1758, the English began to prosecute the 
war more vigorously. During this year another expedi- 
tion, under the command of General John Forbes, was 
sent against Fort Duquesne. His army numbered about 
six thousand, sixteen hundred of whom were Virginians 
under Washington. This time the Virginians led the ad- 
vance. On the approach of the army, the French blew 
up the fort and retreated. This event brought the worst of 
the 'border troubles to an end, though the Indians continued 
to commit occasional outrages for some time. The fol- 
lowing year, the English captured Quebec, which virtually 
decided the contest. A few years later France yielded her 
possessions east of the Mississippi River to England. 

QUESTIONS 

1. Give an account of the rivalry existing between France and 

England. 

2. What was now the question to be decided? 

3. Give the plan adopted by France. 

4. The English plan. 

5. How did the French decide to stop the English ? 

6. What message did the governor of Virginia send the French 

commander? 

7. W T ho was George Washington, when and where born? 

8. What led to a lifelong friendship between Washington and Lord 

Fairfax ? 

9. What is said of his character? 

10. Give an account of his journey, and of its result. 

1 1 . Tell of the opening of hostilities. 

12. What happened at Great Meadows? 



106 THE COLONY 

13. Whom did the English send to capture Fort Duquesne, and what 

fatal mistake did he make? 

14. On being warned by Benjamin Franklin, what was his reply? 

1 5 . Tell of Braddock*s defeat. 

16. Who then took the head of the colonial troops? 

17. Encouraged by this victory, what did the Indians do? 

18. What was the letter Washington wrote to Governor Fauquier? 

19. In what way did he try to stop the atrocities of the savages? 

20. In what year did Fort Duquesne fall into the hands of the English ? 

21 . How did the war end? 



CHAPTER XIV 



COLONIAL LIFE 



Its Golden Age. — In the eighteenth century, colonial 
life had passed through the formative period, and reached 
the full flower of its de- 
velopment. The settlers 
in the Valley, it is true, 
were still undergoing 
the hardships of pio- 
neer life ; but in east- 
ern Virginia, along the 
rivers, a prosperous 
people lived in luxury ; ; 
and security. Before 
entering upon the stir- 
ring events of the Revo- 
lution, it will be inter- 
esting to take a brief 
glance at Old Dominion soci- 
ety in the good old days when 
life was easy and men were happy. 

Classes that formed Society. — Society was 
composed of a number of classes. There 
were the large planters and the small planters, both own- 
ing land and slaves. The line between these classes was 
not clearly marked, for they shaded into one another. 
They dwelt harmoniously together, and stood shoulder to 

107 




A Pioneer 



IOS THE COLONY 

shoulder in any time of public need. There was also, to 
some extent, a separate class, made up of men who were 
called overseers, because they were employed by large 
land owners to overlook their servants and their property. 
Many of these became themselves land owners and the 
holders of slaves. Mention must also be made of the 
"mean whites," or " poor white trash," as they were called, 
who usually came from the worst of the indented servants 
and from convicts. They were poor and illiterate, and 
were looked down upon by everybody. These various 
classes, with the negroes, who were rapidly increasing in 
numbers, constituted the different elements of Old Vir- 
ginia society. 

Life on a Large Plantation. — Each large plantation 
was a little community, which produced nearly every- 
thing needed for its own use. It furnished not only food 
for all who dwelt upon it, but also the raw materials out 
of which clothes, shoes, and the various articles for com- 
mon use were manufactured. All the work was done by 
negroes, under the supervision of their masters, mistresses, 
or overseers. 1 

Life of the Planter. — It is evident that the planter, who 
had such varied interests to look after did not, as a rule, 
live a life of idleness and ease, as has often been stated. 
It is true that he had his amusements, horse-racing, fish- 

1 The various operations that were carried on upon a large plantation are 
well described by General John Mason as follows: "Thus my father had 
among his slaves carpenters, coopers, sawyers, blacksmiths, tanners, curriers, 
shoemakers, spinners, weavers, and knitters, and even a distiller. His woods 
furnished timber and plank for the carpenters and coopers, and charcoal for 
the blacksmith ; his cattle, killed for his own consumption and for sale, sup- 
plied skins for the tanners, curriers, and shoemakers; and his sheep gave 
wool, and his fields produced cotton and flax for the weavers and spinners, 
and his orchards fruit for the distiller." 



COLONIAL LIFE 



109 



ing, hunting, and chasing the fox, being his favorite 
sports; but' the greater part of his time, he spent in 
superintending the different operations which took place 
upon his estate, and in look- 
ing after the welfare of all 
the people who lived on it. 
He dispensed a most gen- 
erous hospitality to his 
friends and to strangers, 
keeping open house for all 
who came. This was ren- 
dered easy by a large reti- 
nue of servants and by the 
abundant supplies of food 
which the plantation fur- 
nished. The free enter- 
tainment of guests was so 
common that, in the seven- 
teenth century, a law was 
passed requiring even an 
innkeeper, if he wished to 
charge for food and shelter, to notify a guest upon his 
arrival ; otherwise he could not make him pay anything. 

Life of a Planter's Wife. — Domestic affairs occupied to 
a great extent the time of the mothers and daughters of a 
household. Needlework that knew no end, the training 
of servants, and looking after the general affairs of the 
establishment, were the monotonous but useful occupa- 
tions of the Virginia women. Toward the end of the 
eighteenth century, a visitor to Mount Vernon says that 
she found Mrs. Washington in a room nicely fixed for all 
kinds of work. She then continues: "On one side, sits 
the chamber maid, with her knitting ; on the other, a little 




Virginia Hospitality 



no 



THE COLONY 



coloured pet, learning to sew. An old, decent woman is 
there, with her table and shears, cutting out the negroes' 
winter clothes, while the good old lady (Mrs. Washing- 
ton) directs them all, incessantly knitting herself. She 
points out to me several pairs of nice coloured stockings 
and gloves she had just finished, and presents me with 




In a Virginia Home 

a pair half done, which she begs I will finish and wear 
for her sake." 1 Bishop Meade, in commenting on this 
description says : " If the wife of General Washington, 
having her own and his wealth at command, should thus 
choose to live, how much more the wives and mothers 
of Virginia with moderate fortunes and numerous chil- 
dren." 

1 See Old Churches and Families of Virginia. Vol. I, p. 98, 



COLONIAL LIFE 



III 



The " Great House." — The dwelling house on a large 
plantation was known as the manor house, or the "great 
house." It was not necessarily large, but its name origi- 
nated from the contrast it presented to the other buildings 
on the place. In the seventeenth century, the typical 
dwelling was a framed building of moderate size, possess- 




A Manor House 

ing more width than depth, and having usually a chimney 
at each end. Many houses were, however, built of brick, 
and some of stone. For a long time, the dwellings dis- 
played but little architectural beauty ; but, during the 
eighteenth century, when the planters had grown wealthy, 
a number of elegant residences, resembling those of the 
English gentry were erected. Some of these were square 
or nearly so, two stories or more high, had deep cellars, 



112 



THE COLONY 



large rooms, broad halls, and rejoiced in great fireplaces. 
If there was an overseer on the plantation, he dwelt in 
a separate house, which was less pretentious than the 
"great house" in appearance. 

Furniture. — The furniture was generally imported, and 
that used by the better classes was usually of mahogany, 
or else made of less costly material, covered with thin strips 
of mahogany called veneer. The bedsteads were so high 

that frequently steps were needed 
to reach them. They had tall 
posts, and were inclosed by 
curtains. Underneath them, 
trundle-beds, which were 
used for the children of 
the family, were kept 
during the day. These 
were hid from view by 
narrow curtains. The 
rich man's spoons 
were of silver, those of 
the poor man of iron or 
pewter. Dishes and plates 
were made of earthenware or 
pewter. Knives were of steel, 
but forks were not in general use till the eighteenth cen- 
tury. A treadle wheel for spinning flax, a large wheel for 
spinning wool, and a hand-loom for weaving cloth were 
common household articles. 

The Kitchen. — The kitchen was some distance from the 
"great house," and its most striking feature was a fire- 
place, sometimes twelve feet wide. The cooking utensils 
were iron pots, gridirons, kettles, saucepans, frying pans, 
etc. As each article of food was cooked in a separate 




Coionia! Furniture 



COLONIAL LIFE 1 13 

vessel, it possessed an individual flavor that is unknown 
in cooking that comes from the stoves and ranges of the 
present day. 

Foo( i. — The hardships of pioneer days were gone ; and, 
in no part of the world was a more bountiful supply of 
food of various kinds to be found than in Virginia. There 
were beef, pork, venison, mutton to a limited extent, game 
of all kinds, vegetables and fruits to suit every taste. Such 
viands as they were, prepared in the homes of the better 
classes, could not fail to please the most fastidious. 

The Negro Quarters. — The negroes dwelt together in a 
settlement which presented the appearance of a village, 
the houses of which were of the plainest kind, built of logs 
or undressed planks. Each cabin, however, contained 
furniture enough to make the occupants comfortable. As 
a rule the negroes were well fed and well clothed ; and it 
cannot be said that they were an unhappy race. Free 
from all the responsibilities of life, they brought up large 
families, and enjoyed to the fullest extent such blessings 
as came to them. 

Relation of Master and Servant. — In the olden times, 
the negroes were usually called servants, not slaves. 
They were generally kindly treated, though there were 
exceptional cases of cruelty to them; and it was by no 
means uncommon for genuine affection to exist between 
a master and his servants. Bruce, in his Economic His- 
tory of Virginia} says : " There is no reason to doubt that 
the planters were as a body just and humane in their treat- 
ment of their slaves. The solicitude exhibited by John 
Page of York was not uncommon ; in his will he instructed 

i The reader who wishes full information in regard to colonial life is referred 
to Bruce's Economic History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century, a most 
admirable and scholarly work. 
VIRG. hist. — 8 



114 THE COLONY 

his heirs to provide for the old age of all the negroes who 
descended to them from him, with as much care in point 
of food, clothing, and other necessaries, as if they were 
still capable of the most profitable labor." 

Dress. — The wealthy planter showed a child's fondness 
for ornamentation ; and he had an opportunity to gratify 
his taste when the frequent gatherings of friends took 
place at his home, at Christmas, at weddings, and when 
he attended services at the parish church. On such occa- 
sions, with his bright-colored coat and breeches, made fre- 
quently of plush, with his embroidered waistcoat, his long 
silk stockings, silver buttons and shoe-buckles, his ruffled 
shirt, and his head adorned with a flowing wig, he pre- 
sented an appearance that was truly gorgeous. But his 
wife was fully his equal ; for she was apt to appear in 
crimson satin bodice trimmed with point lace, a petticoat 
of rich, black oriental silk, costly shoes, and silk hose. 

Education. — Primary education was given in the " old 
field" schools, where the three R's were taught, and per- 
haps something more. There were some private acade- 
mies also ; but the higher education had to be sought in 
England till William and Mary College was founded, and 
so was denied to all except the sons of the rich in the early 
days. 

Roads. — For a long time the numerous creeks and 
rivers, which traverse the country, furnished the only 
highways for trade and also for travel. There were but 
few roads till late in the eighteenth century. Travel 
across the country had tft be done on horseback along 
bridle paths, which were frequently so indistinct that the 
way would be lost. When a traveler reached a stream, 
he rarely found a bridge across it, and he would have 
to ford it or else swim over, in order to continue his 



COLONIAL LIFE 115 

journey. Toward the end of the seventeenth century, 
some coaches, chaises, and chariots began to be seen ; 
but not till the eighteenth century did even the wealthy 
use them generally. 

Advantages of the Plantation Life. — Though the Vir- 
ginia social system had its elements of weakness, yet it 
possessed also its strong points. In it were to be found 
gallantry, chivalry, and love of honor. It was adorned 
by the gentler virtues of life, and it developed a broad 
manliness of character in the people. When the Revo- 
lution came, it brought many changes in habits and cus- 
toms, but disturbed in no radical way plantation life, which 
preserved its distinctive features till the system went down 
in the wreck that followed the Civil War. 



QUESTIONS 

1. In what century was colonial life at its best? 

2. Of what classes was society composed? 

3. Describe the life on a large plantation. 

4. What is said of the life of a planter? 

5. Give a description of Mrs. Washington's home life. 

6. What is Bishop Meade's comment? 

7. Describe the kk Great House.' 11 

8. What of the architecture of this period? 

9. What is said of the overseer's house? 

10. Tell of the furniture. 

1 1 . Describe the kitchen, and the method of cooking. 

12. Tell of the negro quarters. 

f3- How- were the negroes generally treated by their masters? 

14. What does Bruce say of this? 

15. Describe the planter's dress, and that of his wife. 

16. What of the roads, and how was traveling done? 

17. What were the advantages of plantation life? 



Il6 THE COLONY 



REVIEW QUESTIONS 

i. What is said of the governors who ruled after Bacon's Rebellion? 

2. When and where was William and Mary College founded? 

3. Who was Alexander Spotswood, and when was he appointed 

governor ? 

4. Give an account of his crossing the Blue Ridge. 

5. When and by whom were the cities of Richmond and Petersburg 

founded ? 

6. What caused the French and Indian War? 

7. Why did Virginia send a protest to the French commander? 

8. Whom did she select to carry her protest, and what is said of his 

early life ? 

9. Describe his journey, and its result. 

10. How did the hostilities begin? 

1 1 . Who was General Braddock, and how was he defeated ? 

12. Tell of the close of the war, and what possessions were yielded 

by France to England? 

13. What is said of colonial life at its golden age, and of the classes 

that formed society? 

14. Describe the life on a large plantation, the life of the planter, and 

that of his wife. 

15. What is said of the "Great House,' 1 and other buildings of this 

age? 

16. Describe the furniture, kitchen, and negro quarters. 

17. What is said of the relation of master and servant? 

18. Describe the dress of a wealthy planter and that of his wife. 

19. Tell of the educational advantages of this period, and how travel 

ing was done. 

20. What advantages had plantation life? 



CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS (1492-1763) 
1492. Columbus discovered America. 



H97 
1585 
1587 
1606 



John Cabot discovered Labrador. 

Sir Walter Raleigh's first Roanoke colony. 

Sir Walter Raleigh's second Roanoke Island colony. 

First charter granted to Virginia. 



CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE I I 7 

1607 The English made a settlement at Jamestown; the first perma- 
nent English settlement in America, May 13. 

1609. Virginia received her second charter. 

1610. The Starving Time. 

161 2. Virginia received her third charter. 

1612. Culture of tobacco commenced 

1 61 3. Pocahontas married John Rolfe. 

1617. Death of Pocahontas. 

1 61 8. The Great Charter issued. 

1619. First Colonial Assembly convened at Jamestown, July 30. 
1619. Slavery introduced into Virginia. 

1622. Indian massacre. 

1624. Virginia becomes a royal province. 

1644. Second Indian massacre. 

1649-60. Virginia under the Commonwealth. 

1653. Virginians establish a settlement on Albemarle Sound in North 

Carolina. 

1660. Navigation Acts put into operation. 

1673. Culpeper and Arlington grant. 

1676. Bacon's Rebellion. 

1693. William and Mary College founded. 

1732. Washington born. February 22. 

1 733- Founding of Richmond and Petersburg. 

1754. The French and Indian War begun. 

1754. Battle of Great Meadows. 

1755. Braddock's defeat. 
1758. Fort Duquesne captured. 

1763. End of the French and Indian War. 



SECOND PERIOD — FROM THE REVOLU- 
TION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



CHAPTER XV 

CAUSES THAT LED TO THE REVOLUTION 

Condition of the Colony after the War with France. — After 
the termination of the war between England and France, 
Virginia enjoyed a period of peace, during which she in- 
creased rapidly in population, and was 
blessed with abundant prosperity. The 
people, as their country grew and devel- \^<^*%J? 

oped began to feel more and more strongly 
that they were able to take care of them- 
selves, and so they were more disposed 
than they had ever been, to resist any 
encroachment upon their rights and priv- 
ileges. The time soon came when they 
felt justified in resisting by force of arms even the mother 
country, to which they had so long acknowledged alle- 
giance. 

Opposition to the King's Prerogative. — George III., 
who ascended the English throne in 1760, was a man 
of strong convictions, but very narrow and bigoted ; and 
he determined to enjoy all royal prerogatives to the full- 
est extent, and if possible, to increase them. One of the 




122 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

rights that had been exercised by the king was that of 
vetoing colonial legislation ; but in England he could not 
veto an act of Parliament. As time passed, this preroga- 
tive of the king began to be called into question more and 
more ; for it was held that acts of the House of Burgesses 
should be as supreme for Virginia in regard to all local 
matters, as those of Parliament were for Great Britain. 

The Parsons' Case. — The opposition to the veto power 
of the king, which came out in 1763 in the famous Par- 
sons' Case, gave one of the first indications of an ap- 
proaching conflict. Briefly stated, the case was as follows: 
Tobacco was used as money ; and 
the House of Burgesses, at a time 
when a failure in the crop made 
the settlement of obligations press 
heavily upon the people, passed an 
act that all debts which were to be 
paid in tobacco could be settled in 
money, at the rate of twopence per 
pound for tobacco. The clergymen 
had been receiving sixpence per 
pound. They appealed to the king, and he annulled the 
law. Thereupon Rev. James Maury brought suit in the 
county court of Hanover to obtain what was due him. 
When the case, which was regarded as a test one, came 
up for final trial, Patrick Henry 1 appeared in behalf of 
the people, and leaving out of consideration the techni- 
calities of the case, boldly denied the right of the king to 
annul legislation that was for the good of the people, de- 
claring in regard to this particular act of the Burgesses 

1 Patrick Henry (i 736—1799) was born in Hanover County and first rose to 
distinction in the Parsons' Case. He was one of Virginia's earliest and most 
ardent patriots and became America's greatest orator. 




CAUSES THAT LED TO THE REVOLUTION 1 23 

that " a king who annulled and disallowed laws of so salu- 
tary a nature instead of being the father of his people, 
degenerated into a tyrant, and forfeited all right to obedi- 
ence." His eloquence won the case; for though the jury 
was compelled, as the law stood, to decide in favor of the 
plaintiff, yet a verdict was returned after a few minutes' 
deliberation, awarding one penny damages. The an- 
nouncement was received with a shout of applause, and 
Henry's friends, in token of their appreciation of his 
matchless effort, carried him round the court green upon 
their shoulders. 

Power of Parliament. — The theory held by the people 
as to the allegiance they owed to Great Britain was, that 
Virginia constituted an integral part of the king's domin- 
ions, subject to the king but not to Parliament. They, 
therefore, denied the right of Parliament to legislate for 
them in regard to local matters, or to exercise jurisdiction 
over the House of Burgesses. While much irritation was 
caused when the king annulled acts of the Burgesses, yet 
more serious trouble arose when Parliament, under the 
influence of George III. and his party, decided to lay a 
direct tax upon the people without the consent of the 
House of Burgesses, a thing that Charles II. had promised 
should not be done. 

The Stamp Act. — The first attempt thus to levy taxes 
was in 1765, when Parliament passed the Stamp Act, 
which required that the colonies should use upon all docu- 
ments, pamphlets, newspapers, and almanacs, revenue 
stamps costing from a half penny up to fifty pounds. As 
a result of this law, it was expected that a handsome sum 
would be raised annually for the Crown, which would help 
Great Britain to pay off the heavy debt she had incurred 
in her wars in Europe. 



24 



FROM THE REVOLUTIOxN TO THE CIVIL WAR 



Patrick Henry's Resolutions. — When the Stamp Act 
came up for discussion in the House of Burgesses, Patrick 
Henry, who was now a member and a popular leader, 
offered resolutions declaring that only the House of Bur- 
gesses, together with the king or his substitutes, had the 
right to levy taxes, and that any attempt to take this power 




Patrick Henry addressing the House of Burgesses 

from the House of Burgesses was unconstitutional. He 
urged the adoption of these spirited resolutions with an 
ardor that alarmed the more conservative members of the 
House. Suddenly, while speaking against the Stamp Act, 
he exclaimed, " Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the First 
his Cromwell, and George the Third" — cries of ''Treason!" 
" Treason ! " here interrupted him. But fixing his eye upon 
the Speaker of the House, he added, "and George the 



CAUSES THAT LED TO THE REVOLUTION 125 

Third may profit by their example. If this be treason, 
make the most of it." 

Repeal of the Stamp Act. — The resolutions went through ; 
and the news of what had happened in Virginia was carried 
with wonderful quickness all over the country. Other 
colonies adopted similar resolutions, and everywhere such 
a determined spirit of opposition was manifested to the 
Stamp Act, that it was found to be impossible to put it 
into execution, the people absolutely refusing to use the 
stamps. Finally Parliament yielded, and in 1766 repealed 
the Stamp Act, but at the same time declared that it had 
legislative supremacy over the colonies. 

A Second Attempt at Taxation. — There was much rejoic- 
ing in Virginia when the repeal of the Stamp Act became 
known, but it was of short duration ; for Great Britain had 
by no means abandoned her plan of taxing the colonies. 
The year following, Parliament laid duties on tea, paper, 
glass, and painter's colors. Against this, complaints were 
heard on all sides ; and the loyalty of the people was 
much weakened by the irritation caused by Great Britain's 
policy. 

The Virginia Resolves. — In 1769, the House of Burgesses 
passed the famous Virginia resolves, in which they boldly 
affirmed that the colonies alone had the right to tax them- 
selves, and protested against having persons who were 
accused of treason carried to England for trial, as Parlia- 
ment proposed to do on account of the disturbances in 
America. 

The Non-Importation Agreement. — When Lord Botetourt, 
who was governor at this time, heard what had happened, 
he felt that, as the king's representative, he could not 
indorse such rebellious proceedings, and so he at once 
dissolved the Burgesses ; but they met again at the Raleigh 



126 



FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



Tavern in Williamsburg, reaffirmed their action, and, in 
addition, unanimously adopted an agreement not to import 
commodities from England till the duties were taken off. 
The Non-Importation Agreement was presented to the 
Burgesses by George Washington, but it was drawn up 

by George Ma- 
son, 1 who was one 
of the greatest 
men of the revo- 
lutionary epoch. 

The Duties re- 
pealed except the 
one on Tea. — The 
other colonies, 
animated by the 
spirited course 
with which Vir- 
ginia contended 
for her rights, 
passed similar resolutions, and in some cases adopted hers 
as their own. The Non-Importation Agreement became 
quite general ; and the British government, finding the 
colonies on the verge of rebellion, repealed all the duties 
except one of threepence per pound on tea, which was 
retained for the purpose of establishing a precedent for 
taxation. The colonies, however, decided that they would 
purchase no tea till the duty was taken off. Thus for a 
time matters stood. 

Committee of Correspondence. — It became evident, as 
the dispute with Great Britain continued, that there 

1 George Mason (i 726-1 792) born in Stafford County. He was a descend- 
ant of a member of Parliament who took sides with Charles I., and who emi- 
grated to Virginia after the overthrow of that unfortunate monarch. 




George Mason 



CAUSES THAT LEU TO THE REVOLUTION \2J 

must be some way of securing united action. To bring 
about this desirable object, the House of Burgesses ap- 
pointed a committee of correspondence, the duty of which 
was to give the people news of what was taking place in 
Great Britain, and to keep up communication with the 
other colonies. Lord Dunmore, who had succeeded Bote- 
tourt as governor, on hearing of what had happened, 
hastily dissolved the Burgesses ; but the important action 
they had taken led to the formation of similar committees 
by the thirteen colonies that afterwards constituted the 
United States. The meaning of this was that henceforth 
there would be unity of action. 

Destruction of the Tea at Boston. — In the other colonies, 
as well as in Virginia, the people, actuated by a love of 
freedom, made vigorous resistance to the policy pursued 
by Great Britain. Massachusetts, though not more deter- 
mined than Virginia to contend for her rights, had been 
so open in her opposition that British troops had been 
quartered in Boston. This led to a collision between the 
soldiers and the citizens, which inflamed the passions 
of the people to the highest pitch ; and now an event hap- 
pened which gave them an opportunity to display their 
defiance of British authority. The East India Company 
shipped supplies of tea to different American ports to be 
sold in the colonies. Three vessels brought cargoes to 
Boston. An organized party, disguised as Indians, 
boarded the ships, and threw the tea into the sea. When 
news of these bold proceedings reached England, Parlia- 
ment ordered that the port of Boston should be closed 
on the 4th of June 1774, and the city cut off from all 
trade. 

Virginia Espouses the Cause of Massachusetts. — The 
House of Burgesses was in session, when the action of 



128 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

the British government against Boston became known in 
Williamsburg. The consideration of all other business 
was at once postponed, and a protest w#s passed against 
what had been done on the ground that it was subver- 
sive of liberty. The ist of June was appointed a day of 
fasting, humiliation, and prayer. Again Lord Dunmore 
dissolved the Burgesses ; but the next day they met, re- 
gardless of him, at the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg, 
and issued a call for a general congress. Massachusetts 
had already done the same thing ; and the measure met 
with approbation, all the colonies appointing delegates ex- 
cept Georgia. 

The First Congress. — The first Congress met at Philadel- 
phia, on September 5, 1774. Its proceedings were calm and 
moderate. A declaration of rights was drawn up, and two 
addresses issued, one to the people of Great Britain, and 
the other to the people of the colonies. At this time there 
were but few men who wished the colonies to renounce 
their allegiance to Great Britain. 

The wise action of this representative assembly won 
many friends in England for the cause of the colonies. 
" I know not," said Lord Chatham in the House of Lords, 
"the people or Senate, who, in such a complication of 
difficult circumstances, can stand in preference to the 
delegates of America assembled in General Congress in 
Philadelphia." 

QUESTIONS 



What was the condition of the colony after the war with France? 

What kind of a man was George III., and what right did he claim? 

How did the people of Virginia regard this? 

Give an account of the Parsons' Case. 

Who appeared in behalf of the people, and what were his words? 

What was the verdict, and what is said of Patrick Henry? 



CAUSES THAT LED TO THE REVOLUTION 129 

7. What was the theory held by the people as to their allegiance to 

Great Britain ? 

8. Hence what right did they deny Parliament? 

9. What did George III. now do? 

10. What was the Stamp Act, and what was England's object in pass- 

ing it? 

1 1. Give the resolutions of Patrick Henry. 

12. While speaking against the Stamp Act, what did he exclaim? 

13. Why was it found impossible to put the Stamp Act into execution? 

14. What was Parliament forced to do? 

15. The following year a tax was laid on what articles? 

16. This led to what action on the part of the Burgesses? 

17. When the governor heard this, what did he do, and with what 

result ? 

18. What was the Non-Importation Agreement, and by whom drawn 

up? 

19. Did the other colonies follow Virginia's example? 

20. What did England agree to do, and how was this received by the 

colonies? 

21. What did the House of Burgesses decide to appoint? 

22. What important action did this bring about? 

23. What was happening' in the other colonies? 

24. What became of the tea that was sent to Boston? 

25. What order did Parliament give on hearing of this? 

26. How did Virginia show her sympathy for Massachusetts? 

27. What happened at Raleigh Tavern? 

28. When and where did our first Congress meet? 

29. What is said of its proceedings? 

30. What did Lord Chatham say with regard to its action? 



CHAPTER XVI 

THE LAST EVENTFUL YEARS OF LORD DUNMORE'S ADMIN- 
ISTRATION 

Lord Dunmore's War. — While the colonies were on the 
eve of war with Great Britain, Virginia was called upon 
once more to defend her western frontier from the savages, 
who rose in arms to drive the settlers out of the territory 
south of the Ohio River. The struggle which followed was 
called Dunmore's war, because the governor was charged 
with having brought it on through his agent, Dr. Conolly, 
who made statements which the backwoodsmen understood 
to be equivalent to a declaration of hostilities. The trouble 
began with the killing of some friendly Shawnees by a 
party of whites. This unprovoked act was followed by the 
murder of the entire family of a friendly chief named 
Logan. These and other outrages committed by the 
whites, caused a number of western tribes to unite under 
the leadership of a famous chief called Cornstalk, and begin 
a war of extermination on the settlers west of the moun- 
tains. Lord Dunmore hastily collected an army to meet 
the impending danger, and proceeded to the seat of war. 

Battle of Point Pleasant. — As one wing of Dunmore's 
army, which was commanded by General Andrew Lewis, 1 

1 Andrew Lewis (1730-1780), who commanded the Virginians in this deci- 
sive encounter, was a native of Ireland. In person, he was more than six feet 
in height, and possessed great strength and activity; in character he was brave 
and cautious. He fought under Washington at Great Meadows and was at 
Braddock's defeat. On the whole, he was just the man to be a border hero. 

ISO 



LORD DUNMORE'S ADMINISTRATION 131 

was about to cross the Ohio River, it was suddenly attacked 
by the savages in great numbers. A hard-fought battle 
then took place, which lasted from sunrise till nearly sunset ; 
but in the end the Virginians won a complete victory, 
though at the loss of a number of brave men. The Indians 
then made a treaty with Lord Dunmore, promising that 
they would no more hunt south of the Ohio nor disturb 
voyagers on the river. This battle was important, because 
it opened the way for the settlement of Kentucky, and 
enabled Virginia a few years later to conquer her western 
territory, and thus make good her title to it. 

The Prophetic Words of Patrick Henry. —The Indian 
war being over, the contest with Great Britain occupied 
the attention of the public to a greater extent than ever. 
The situation had now become alarming, and the people 
began to arm themselves. On the 20th of March, 1775, 
a convention for the consideration of public affairs 
met at Richmond in St. John's Church. Patrick Henry 
promptly introduced a measure for arming and drilling a 
body of militia ; and, in advocating its adoption, he made his 
famous speech, the closing words of which were : " If we 
wish to be free, we must fight. It is too late to retire from 
the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and 
slavery. The war is inevitable, and let it come. The next 
gale that sweeps from the North will bring to our ears the 
clash of resounding arms. I know not what course others 
will take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death." 
The First Clash of Arms. — His words seemed almost 
prophetic; for on April 18, 1775, a detachment of British 
troops was ordered by General Gage, the British com- 
mander at Boston, to proceed to Concord and destroy some 
military stores which the Americans had collected. When 
the soldiers reached Lexington, they encountered a body 



32 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 




St. John : s Church, Richmond 

of Massachusetts minutemen, and a collision occurred in 
which the first blood of the Revolution was shed. This was 
followed by a second engagement at Concord ; and, with 
these skirmishes, the struggle that had so long been im- 
pending commenced. 

The Gunpowder. — The day after the battle of Lexington, 
Lord Dunmore had a quantity of gunpowder removed from 
the old powder magazine at Williamsburg, and put on 
board a British man-of-war lying off Yorktown. When 
this became known in Williamsburg, the people flew to 
arms and were with difficulty restrained from attacking the 
governor's palace. In other parts of Virginia also, the 
incident caused the greatest excitement. In Fredericks- 
burg, more than six hundred minutemen assembled to 
march against the governor; but George Washington and 



LORD DUNMORE'S ADMINISTRATION 



33 



Edmund Pendleton induced them to disband. This they 
did after signing a paper in which they pledged themselves 
to defend "Virginia or any sister colony." The paper 
closed with the words : "God save the liberties of America," 
which now took the place of "God save the King." But 
Patrick Henry thought the time for action had come. He 
put himself at the head of a Hanover company, and set 
out for Williams- 
burg. As he drew 
near, he was met by 
a messenger from 
Lord Dun more with 
an offer to pay for 
the powder, and he 
accepted this settle- 
ment of the matter. 
Flight of Lord Dun- 
more. — About two 
months later, Lord 
Dunmore, not deem- 
ing it safe for him to 
remain in Williams- 
burg longer, took 
refuge on the Fozvey, 

c i«i Removing Powder from the Magazine at Williamsburg 

a man-ot-war, which & 

was anchored near Yorktown. Before taking his depar- 
ture, he addressed a communication to the Burgesses, stat- 
ing that he deemed it advisable for the safety of himself 
and family to leave Williamsburg. In reply, the Council 
and the House of Burgesses jointly invited him to return to 
the head of affairs, assuring him that they would unite in 
carrying out any plan that might be deemed necessary for 
his personal safety. But he declined to leave his place of 
VIRG. hist. — 9 




134 



FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



refuge, though he offered to continue to discharge his 
functions as governor on board the man-of-war. After 
this, the Burgesses had no further communications with 
him ; and thus the royal government in Virginia came to 
an end, after it had existed for more than a hundred and 
fifty years. 




Flight of Lord Dunmore 

Provisional Government organized. — The Burgesses now 
saw that it was necessary to provide an executive for Vir- 
ginia, and so a convention was called, which met in Rich- 
mond on July 17, and committed the supreme authority 
not to one person, but to the famous Committee of Safety. 1 
This body was endowed with absolute power, being respon- 
sible only to the convention. It was fortunate that this 

1 The " Committee of Safety " consisted of Edmund Pendleton, George 
Mason, John Page, Richard Bland, Thomas Ludwell Lee, Paul Carrington, 
Dudley Digges, William Cabell, Carter Braxton, James Mercer, and John Tabb. 



LORD DUNMORE'S ADMINISTRATION 1 35 

provisional government was organized so promptly, for the 
people had soon to protect themselves from the governor 
they had renounced. 

Dunmore's Ravages. — Lord Dunmore, incensed at his 
expulsion from his government, decided to make war on 
Virginia with such forces as he could collect. He had at 
his command a fleet of several ships and two companies of 
regulars. With these he commenced a series of predatory 
incursions along the shores of the Chesapeake. He made 
his headquarters in Norfolk. From there, he proclaimed 
martial law and offered freedom to all slaves who would 
join him and fight against their masters. By such means 
as these, he collected a mixed force sufficient to enable 
him to do much damage. But, in December, he was de- 
feated at Great Bridge near Norfolk by a company of Vir- 
ginians under Colonel William Woodford, and forced to 
embark on his ships. On the 1st of January, 1776, he 
bombarded Norfolk, and under cover of the cannonade, 
a body of marines landed and at his command set fire to 
the town. After this exploit Dunmore carried on for 
some months along the shores of the various rivers of 
eastern Virginia, hostilities that bore more resemblance to 
the incursions of pirates than to open, honorable war, af- 
fording the melancholy spectacle of a governor plundering 
the people whom he had come to rule over and protect. 
Finally, he fortified himself at Gwynn's Island at the head 
of the Piankatank River in Mathews County. From this 
retreat he was driven by General Andrew Lewis, of Point 
Pleasant fame, and this was the last of Dunmore in Vir- 
ginia. He retired first to New York, and then in a short 
time went back to England, where he entertained royalists 
who fled from Virginia, and continued to manifest the bit- 
terest hostility to the American cause. 



36 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



QUESTIONS 

i. While the colonies were on the eve of war, what was Virginia 
called to do? 

2. How did the trouble begin, and by what was it known? 

3. What did the Indians now do? 

4. Who was General Andrew Lewis? 

5. Tell of the battle of Point Pleasant. 

6. What treaty did Lord Dunmore make with the Indians? 

7. Why was this battle so important? 

8. What contest now occupied the people? 

9. When and where was a convention held? 

10. What measure was introduced by Patrick Henry? 

1 1 . Give his prophetic words. 

12. When and where was the first clash of arms? 

13. What act of Governor Dunmore's enraged the people? 

14. What did they attempt to do? 

15. Who induced them to disband? 

16. What was the nature of the paper signed? 

17. What action did Patrick Henry take, and with what result? 

18. Give an account of the flight of Lord Dunmore. 

19. What action did the Burgesses take, and with what result? 

20. How long had the royal government lasted in Virginia? 

21. Tell of the provisional government organized. 

22. What did Lord Dunmore now decide to do? 

23. Where did he make his headquarters, and what did he proclaim? 

24. What occurred at Great Bridge? 

25. How and where did he continue his depredations? 

26. What was the last of Dunmore in Virginia? 



CHAPTER XVII 

THE REVOLUTION — FROM ITS BEGINNING TO BURGOYNE'S 
SURRENDER 

Operations at the North. — While Virginia was defend- 
ing herself from Lord Dunmore, stirring events had 
been taking place at the North. The skirmishes at Lex- 
ington and Concord were followed a few weeks later by 
the capture of Ticonderoga and Crown Point by the 
Americans. Generals Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne came 
from England with reinforcements for General Gage, 
while an American army of some fifteen thousand col- 
lected around Boston and laid siege to the city. The hotly 
contested battle of Bunker Hill, which was fought on June 
1 7, 1775, settled the question that there would be a war. 
It proved, too, a source of much encouragement to the 
Americans ; for though they were driven from the field, 
they had, by their gallant defense of their position, shown 
that they could measure arms with the disciplined troops 
of England. 

Washington Appointed Commander in Chief. — In view 
of the public need, Congress met in Philadelphia and, 
after declaring that hostilities had commenced with Great 
Britain, appointed George Washington, who was a delegate 
from Virginia, commander in chief of the army at Boston. 
He accepted the position, but refused to receive any pay 
for his services. On his way to his post of duty, he heard 
of the battle of Bunker Hill, and at once asked, " Did the 

137 



138 



FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 




iil 



militia stand fire ? " Receiving an affirmative answer, he 
replied, " Then the liberties of the country are safe." 

Washington's Appointment a Political Necessity. — Wash- 
ington well deserved the honor of being put at the head of 
the army ; for he was the only soldier in any of the colonies 
of more than a local reputation, the one able leader of men 
who had been tried and found to be competent. At the 
same time, his appointment was a political necessity. The 
Northern colonies recognized the importance of enlisting 

Virginia actively in the war, 
for it was known that all the 
Southern colonies would follow 
her. As she was the most 
ancient, the most populous, 
and the most influential of the 
colonies, and the devotion of 
her people to the cause of popu- 
lar liberty commanded respect 
everywhere, her influence was 
absolutely necessary to bring 
about a union of all the colo- 
nies into one political body, 
without which nothing of importance could be accom- 
plished. 

Virginia takes an Active Part in the War. — Now that 
hostilities had actually commenced, Virginia did not hesi- 
tate as to her duty. She threw herself into the struggle 
with all her strength, and responded promptly to the call 
of Congress for troops, her quota being fixed at fifteen 
battalions. Volunteers formed themselves into companies, 
and set out for the seat of war, even while their own homes 
were threatened with destruction by Lord Dunmore. Upon 
every battlefield of the war, Virginia was well represented. 






Washington 




THE REVOLUTION 139 

She was in her structure and temper more thoroughly Eng- 
lish than any of the colonies ; and the soldiers she put in 
the field were the equals of any Great Britain could bring 
against them. 

First Period of the War. — At first the war was waged 
for a redress of grievances, not for separation from Great 
Britain. The colonies were not ready for the contest; 
and Washington, who well knew what an army ought to 
be, occupied himself for some time in drilling and equip- 
ping the main army, which he had to do in the face of 
great difficulties, and while thus engaged he kept up the 
siege of Boston. 

Virginia takes Action for Independence. — Virginia had 
ever shown herself most jealous of her constitutional rights. 
In their defense she had, under Bacon, risen in open re- 
bellion in 1676; and now, one hundred years later, she 
took a step in the cause of freedom which proved to be far- 
reaching in its effects upon the destinies of America. On 
May 15, 1776, she, through her convention which met in 
Williamsburg, instructed her delegates in Congress to pro- 
pose that the United Colonies should be declared inde- 
pendent. This action was on the next day read to the 
troops at Williamsburg, and was received by them and by 
the people generally with loud acclamation. 

Bill of Rights. — After instructing the delegates in 
Congress, the convention on the same_day_ adopted a Bill 
of Rights which contained a clear exposition of the Ameri- 
can theory of government ; for it declared the equality of 
men politically, that they possessed certain inherent rights, 
such as " the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means 
of acquiring and possessing property and pursuing and 
obtaining happiness and safety," of which they could not 
by any compact deprive their posterity ; that government 




Thomas Jefferson 



THE REVOLUTION 141 

was derived from the people and was to be used for the 
benefit of all, and that when not so used the majority had 
the right to alter or abolish it ; that the press should be 
free, and that men should have the right to follow their 
consciences in religion. 

Adoption of a Constitution. — The Bill of Rights was 
followed on June 29 by the adoption of a constitution, 
which made the government consist of a House of Dele- 
gates and a Senate, and provided that these should elect 
annually a governor and a privy council to assist him. 
This constitution, which was the first written one in the 
world, contained also a declaration of independence. Thus 
Virginia proclaimed herself an independent commonwealth 
amid the universal rejoicing of her people. Her new gov- 
ernment went into operation at once, Patrick Henry being 
elected governor and Edmund Randolph attorney general. 

Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence. — When 
the Virginia delegates in Congress received the instruc- 
tions from the conven- 
tion, Richard Henry Lee 
brought in a motion, 
" That these United Col- 
onies are and ought to 
be free and independent 
states, and that all political connections between them and 
the State of Great Britain is and ought to be dissolved." 
After a three days' debate the motion was adopted, and a 
committee was appointed to draw up a Declaration of 
Independence. The Declaration was written by Thomas 
Jefferson; 1 and Congress, after making a few changes, 
adopted it as written by him, on July 4, 1776. 

1 Thomas Jefferson (1 743-1 826). Next to Washington, Jefferson had more 
influence in forming the institutions of the country than any of the early 




142 



FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



Virginia among the First. — Virginia was first among 
the foremost in the resolutions condemning the Stamp 
Act, in the formation of the Committee of Correspondence, 
in the movement for a Continental Congress, and in the 
decisive steps that led to the independence of America. 
More considerate treatment by the British government 
would have kept her loyal ; but, under a sense of oppres- 
sion, the revolutionary impulse 
caused her to renounce utterly 
an allegiance of which she had 
in former days been proud to 
boast. 

A Seal Adopted. — After de- 
claring herself independent, Vir- 
ginia adopted a new seal, devised 
by George Wythe, 1 which ex- 
pressed the spirit that animated 
the people. It represents Virtue, the tutelary goddess of 
the commonwealth, draped as an Amazon, bearing in one 

statesmen. He was the great apostle of popular sovereignty, believing most 
strongly as he did in the reign of the people and not in that of an aristocracy 
of birth or of money; he was the real founder of the Democratic party. While 
universal suffrage was the logical outcome of Jefferson's political doctrines, yet 
he realized the danger of placing power in the hands of the ignorant, and so 
we find that the education of the people was one of the objects for which he 
labored most earnestly. Through his influence the University of Virginia was 
established in 1819; and he lived long enough to see it go into successful 
operation. His long life was characterized by the most distinguished services 
to his native state and to the country at large. He was Secretary of State 
under Washington, President for two terms, minister to France, governor of 
Virginia and her representative in Congress. 

1 George Wythe (1 726-1806). An eminent lawyer, who was born in 
Virginia. In 1776, he was a commissioner with Jefferson and others to revise 
the statutes of Virginia. He was Professor of Law at William and Mary, 
where he was educated. He was a member of the Virginia Convention, 
which ratified the Federal Constitution in 1788. 




TIIH REVOLUTION 143 

hand a spear and in the other a sword, trampling under 
foot tyranny, symbolized as a prostrate man, having near 
him a broken chain and a scourge, while his crown has 
fallen from his head. Above the figure of Virtue is the 
word " Virginia," and underneath the motto — " Sic semper 
tyrannis." 

Religious Liberty. —The Episcopal Church had been 
the established church in Virginia, as it is in England 
to-day; and at times, harsh laws had been enacted against 
those who dissented from its doctrines. But one form of 
belief does not satisfy all people; and at the time of the 
Revolution, Quakers, Baptists, Presbyterians, and Metho- 
dists had gained a strong foothold. In her Bill of Rights, 
Virginia was the first state in the world to separate abso- 
lutely Church and State, declaring as she did that her 
government should be built upon the foundation stone of 
religious liberty ; and when the General Assembly met 
in October, 1776, all persons who did not accept the doc- 
trines of the Established Church were determined to see 
that laws should be enacted to carry out the principles 
of religious freedom that had been announced. A great 
struggle ensued, which lasted for nearly two months. 
Edmund Pendleton 1 and John Page 2 defended the Epis- 
copal Church, while Thomas Jefferson was the champion 

1 Edmund Pendleton (1721-1803). He was born in Carolina County, 
Va., was a lawyer by profession, and was known as a conservative statesman. 
During the Revolution, his object was "to raise the spirits of the timid to a 
general united opposition," and to oppose the violent who wished to adopt 
rash measures. He was president of the Committee of Safety, of a number 
of conventions, and of the Virginia Supreme Court. 

2 John Page (1 743-1808). He was born at Rosewell, Va., and was an 
ardent supporter of the cause of the colonists during the Revolution, con- 
tributing of his own private means for the public good. He was a member 
of the convention that framed the constitution of Virginia, and held a number 
of other offices. In 1802, he was elected governor of Virginia. 



144 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

of the dissenters. Religious freedom finally won a com- 
plete triumph. Penalties for nonconformity to the Protes- 
tant Episcopal Church were abolished, and all men were 
left free to worship God according to the dictates of their 
own consciences. 

The Law of Primogeniture. — In England, when a man 
dies, his property is not distributed equally among his 
children, but it goes to his eldest son, and in this way the 
aristocracy is kept up. This Law of Primogeniture, as it 
is called, had been in full force in Virginia ; but now an 
attack was made upon it by Thomas Jefferson, who wished, 
as he himself stated, to " eradicate every fiber of ancient 
and future aristocracy." Edmund Pendleton, who was 
the most conservative of the Revolutionary leaders, de- 
fended it with great skill ; but the bill for its repeal passed 
the General Assembly without amendment, and it ceased 
to be a law. 

A Dictator Proposed. — The first military operations after 
the Declaration of Independence were disastrous to the 
Americans. In the summer of 1776, General Howe, who 
had succeeded General Gage as commander in chief of the 
British troops, defeated the American army at Long 
Island, in consequence of which Washington was forced 
to abandon New York and New Jersey, and retire across 
the Delaware into Pennsylvania. To the General As- 
sembly, the outlook seemed so gloomy that it was 
proposed to appoint a dictator for Virginia, who should 
have absolute power, both civil and military, over persons 
and property, the precedent for such action being sought 
in the history of Rome. The discussion of this measure 
created feelings so bitter that its advocates and its oppo- 
nents would not walk on the same side of the street 
together. To Patrick Henry, who was to receive the 



THE REVOLUTION 



145 



appointment, Archibald Cary, 1 the leader of the opposition, 
sent the message that on the day he became dictator, he 
should fall from a thrust of his dagger. There is no 
evidence that Patrick Henry either knew of or approved 
the scheme. The plan was suddenly dropped, and it 
appears to have been but a desperate measure that was 
considered to meet a desperate need. 




Washington crossing the Delaware 

Washington restores Confidence. — A few weeks later, 
Washington restored confidence by recrossing the Dela- 
ware, and winning the brilliant victories at Trenton and 
Princeton. The people now began to realize his great- 
ness and to esteem him the equal of any commander of 
antiquity, for he showed that along with a cause full of 
grandeur, he possessed the genius needed to defend it. 

1 Archibald Cary (1 730-1 786). He was born in Virginia, and was a relative 
of Lord Falkland. He was a conspicuous patriot in the Revolution, his services 
being mainly in the Virginia Convention and in the House of Burgesses. When 
the state government was organized, he was elected President of the Senate. 



146 



FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



Burgoyne's Invasion. — The next summer General Bur- 
goyne left Canada with a part of the British army and 
marched by way of Lake Champlain into New York, his 
plan being to seize the line of the Hudson and cut New 
England off from the Middle and Southern states. All 
went well with him till he reached the upper Hudson, 
where the American army under General Gates had taken 
a stand to oppose his further progress. Burgoyne had in 
his army a number of Indians ; and these ferocious allies 
^_ so harassed the Americans 

that Gates wrote Washington 
that they almost produced a 
panic. 

Morgan and his Riflemen. 
— Washington had among 
his troops a corps of picked 
Virginia riflemen from the 
Shenandoah valley and the 
upper James, commanded by 
the distinguished Colonel 
Daniel Morgan. These he 
sent to reinforce Gates. It is 
said that the aim of these men 
was so accurate " that any one of them could toss up an 
apple and shoot all the seeds out of it as it fell." Accus- 
tomed to the Indian method of warfare, they soon struck 
terror into the breasts of the savages, who said that the 
rifles of these sharpshooters " were more terrible than the 
lightnings of the Great Spirit." They certainly contributed 
much to turn the tide of battle against Burgoyne. At 
Bemis Heights, near Saratoga, where Burgoyne fought a 
desperate battle in an unsuccessful attempt to drive the 
Americans from their position, the Virginia riflemen dis- 




Daniel Morgan 



THE REVOLUTION 



147 



persed the Canadians and Indians, who covered the flanks 
of the right wing of Burgoyne's army and were brought 
to a stand only when they encountered the British line 
of battle. A few weeks later, when Burgoyne made a 
reconnoissance with fifteen hundred picked men, drawn 
up in three columns, Morgan's corps fell upon the right 
column, which was commanded by General Frasier, and 




Burgoyne's Surrender 

forced it to fall back, Frasier himself being mortally 
wounded by one of the riflemen. 

Burgoyne's Surrender. — After these reverses Burgoyne 
retired to Saratoga, where in October 17, 1777, he surren- 
dered his entire army to General Gates. The political 
effect of this victory in Europe was very great. France 
had favored the Americans from the first, and had ren- 
dered them some aid. This she had done secretly ; but, 



148 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

after the surrender of Burgoyne, she acknowledged the 
independence of the thirteen United Colonies and on Feb- 
ruary 6, 1778, entered into a treaty, promising to help 
them with money, men, and war supplies. Saratoga is 
put down by Sir Edward Creasy as one of the fifteen 
decisive battles of the world ; and much of the credit 
of winning it justly belongs to the Virginians. 

QUESTIONS 

1. What events were occurring in the North? 

2. What battle had decided the question of war, when and where 

fought ? 

3. Who was chosen commander, and on what condition did he accept? 

4. What is said of Washington, and why was his appointment a 

political necessity? 

5. Tell what active part Virginia took in the war, and what of her 

soldiers ? 

6. Was the war waged at first for separation from Great Britain? 

7. What was Virginia's action for independence? 

8. What was the Bill of Rights, and what followed its adoption? 

9. What was the Constitution, and what did it contain? 

10. Who was elected first governor under this Constitution? 

11. What motion did Richard Henry Lee bring up in Congress? 

12. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? 

13. Who was Thomas Jefferson? 

14. Virginia was foremost in what decisive steps? 

15. Describe Virginia's new seal. By whom was it devised? 

16. Give the controversy as to religious liberty in Virginia. 

17. Who defended the established church, and who the dissenters? 

18. What was the result? 

19. What was the Law of Primogeniture? 

20. Who made an attack upon it, and with what result? 

21. Why was a dictator proposed for Virginia? 

22. What feelings did this arouse? 

23. How did Washington restore confidence? 

24. Tell of Burgoyne's invasion. 

25. What is said of his Indian allies? 



REVIEW QUESTIONS 1 49 

Give an account of Morgan and his riflemen. 

Where was a desperate battle fought, and with what result? 

When and where did Burgoyne surrender? 

What did France do after the surrender of Burgoyne? 

What does Sir Edward Creasy say of the battle of Saratoga? 



REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1 . Why did the colonists object to the veto power of the king? 

2. Relate the Parsons 1 Case. 

3. What was the Stamp Act, and why was it repealed? 

4. What was the Non-Importation Agreement, and why was it adopted ? 

5. Why w^as the tea destroyed at Boston? 

6. When and where did the first Congress meet? 

7. Give an account of Lord Dunmore's war. 

8. When and where was the first clash of arms that marked the 

beginning of the Revolution? 

9. How did the royal government come to end? 

10. Describe Dunmore's ravages. 

11. What battle settled the question as to war? 

12. Who was appointed commander in chief of the colonial troops, 

and why was his appointment a political necessity? 

13. What was the object of the colonists at first, and what active part 

did Virginia take in the war? 

14. Tell of Virginia's action for independence, of her Bill of Rights, and 

her Constitution. 

15. What was the Declaration of Independence, by whom written, and 

when adopted? 

16. In what ways did Virginia take the lead for independence? 

17. Describe the seal adopted. 

18. Give an account of the controversy for religious liberty. 

19. What was the Law of Primogeniture, and through whose influence 

was it abolished? 

20. Why was a dictator proposed, and with what result? 

21. Give an account of Burgoyne's invasion. 

22. What is said of Morgan and his riflemen? 

23. When and where did Burgoyne surrender, and what is said of it? 

VIRG. HIST. — IO 



CHAPTER XVIII 

THE LAST YEARS OF THE REVOLUTION 

The War in the South. — After the battle of Saratoga, 
the British transferred the war from the North to the South. 
They reduced Georgia and South Carolina to submission ; 
and then Lord Cornwallis, one of their ablest generals, 
undertook the conquest of North Carolina. The need of 
troops in the South was so great that Virginia exerted her- 
self to the utmost in gathering recruits and in hurrying 
them off to the seat of war. 

The British attack Virginia. — During the first years of 
the war, the central position of Virginia had protected her 
from invasion ; but the British now decided to attack her 
in earnest to keep her from sending so much aid to the 
South. A fleet was first sent under General Matthews, 
who took possession of Portsmouth, burned Suffolk, and 
destroyed at Norfolk and Gosport great quantities of mili- 
tary stores. The British soldiers also made incursions into 
the country, carrying destruction far and wide, while British 
men-of-war ruined the coasting trade of the state by de- 
stroying more than one hundred ships. 

Benedict Arnold in Virginia. — The British followed their 
first attack by a determined effort to subjugate Virginia, 
believing that, if she was conquered, this would ensure the 
permanent subjugation of the Southern states. Early in 
January, 1781, Benedict Arnold, who a few months before 
had turned traitor to the American cause, sailed up the 

15° 



THE LAST YEARS OF THE REVOLUTION 



MI 



James with an army of nine hundred men, and the inva- 
sion began in earnest. Thomas Jefferson, who had suc- 
ceeded Patrick Henry as governor, called out the militia to 
defend Richmond. But Baron Steuben, who had general 
command of military matters in Virginia, had just sent all 
the men he could raise to the South. Arnold accordingly 
captured Richmond without opposition. He held posses- 
sion of the city for a few days, destroyed her archives, 
plundered her stores, and 
then returned to Ports- 
mouth, ravaging the 
country on his way. 

Lafayette. — In the 
spring, the British sent 
General Phillips with 
two thousand additional 
troops to Virginia. He 
captured Petersburg after 
a skirmish with a body 
of militia under Steuben, 
and then proceeded to 
Richmond. But here he 
found a body of regular 
troops drawn up ready to give 
under the command of the Marquis de Lafayette, an ardent 
young French nobleman who had come to serve in the 
American army as a volunteer and without pay ; but Con- 
gress had commissioned him a major general, and Wash- 
ington, whose confidence he had won, had sent him to 
cooperate with Steuben in the defense of Virginia. Gen- 
eral Phillips decided not to attack Lafayette, but retreated 
to Petersburg, where he died from fever a few days after 
his arrival. 




Marquis de Lafayette 

him battle. They were 



15: 



FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



The Virginians at King's Mountain. — While these events 
had been occurring in Virginia, the war had been prose- 
cuted energetically further South. In conducting the cam- 
paign in North Carolina, Cornwallis sent Colonel Ferguson, 
one of his ablest partisan leaders, with a force of eleven 
hundred to invade the mountain region. This caused the 
pioneers of Virginia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas to rise 




Battle of King's Mountain 



in arms, and soon fourteen hundred assembled, four hun- 
dred coming from Washington County, Virginia, under the 
command of Colonel William Campbell, who was chosen 
leader of the entire force. Ferguson, finding that he was 
in danger, retreated to King's Mountain, upon the top of 
which he took what he regarded as an impregnable posi- 
tion. But the frontiersmen took his camp by storm and all 
his followers were either killed or captured, he himself 
being among the slain. 



THE LAST YEARS OF THE REVOLUTION 1 53 

Morgan at Cowpens. — Daniel Morgan and his men were 
always to be found where fighting was going on, and they 
were now in the South, where they proved so troublesome 
to the British that Cornwallis sent Colonel Tarleton with 
eleven hundred men against them. Tarleton pursued Mor- 
gan and coming up with him at Cowpens, a grazing ground 
not far from King's Mountain, at once attacked him. But 
Morgan displayed wonderful skill in the way he managed 
the battle. In an open field he surrounded and nearly 
annihilated the British forces, which were superior to his 
own, Tarleton escaping with only two hundred men. 

Virginia becomes the Seat of War. — Cornwallis' s army 
was much depleted by the battles he had fought, and so 
he decided to march northward, unite' his forces with the 
British troops in Virginia, and complete the subjugation of 
the Old Dominion before he undertook any further opera- 
tions in the Carolinas. Acting upon this resolution, he 
reached Petersburg soon after the death of General Phillips, 
and at once took command of the British troops in Vir- 
ginia. 

Maneuvers of Cornwallis and Lafayette. — Lafayette 
was at this time below Richmond with about four thousand 
men, and Cornwallis, with nearly double that number, 
looked forward to an easy victory over him. " The boy 
cannot escape me," he wrote in a letter to England. But 
Lafayette though young had prudence, and was unwill- 
ing to risk a battle till he was reinforced by General 
Wayne, who was coming with eight hundred Pennsylva- 
nians to join him. So as Cornwallis advanced, Lafayette 
retired till he reached Culpeper County, where he met 
Wayne. Cornwallis followed as far as Hanover County, 
where he halted, camping on the North Anna River. 
While these maneuvers were going on, his cavalry under 



154 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

Tarleton was laying waste the whole James River country 
with fire and sword, destroying what they did not need. 
They made a raid on Charlottesville, hoping to capture the 
legislature, which was in session in that place, and also 
Governor Jefferson, who was at Monticello, but failed in 
this attempt. 

Cornwallis Entrapped. — Cornwallis finally selected York- 
town as the basis of his operations, where he fortified him- 
self strongly. Washington, learning through Lafayette 
that the Count de Grasse was coming with a French fleet 
to take part against the British, at once decided to combine 
the French and American armies, and capture Cornwallis 
before he could be reinforced. The plan was kept a 
secret, the movement being covered under an apparent 
design of laying siege to New York. This deceived the 
British till it was too late to relieve Cornwallis, who did 
not realize his danger till the French fleet appeared in the 
waters of the Chesapeake, and landed three thousand 
troops to reinforce Lafayette, followed a few days later 
by the arrival of Washington and the Count de Rocham- 
beau with land forces. The combined French and Ameri- 
can armies amounted to sixteen thousand, and the British 
army numbered eight thousand. Cornwallis now saw that 
he was hemmed in both by land and by sea ; but he pre- 
pared to make a desperate defense. 

Siege of Yorktown. — The siege of Yorktown now began. 
For more than a week a vigorous cannonade was kept up ; 
and then the outer lines of Cornwallis's works were carried 
at the point of the bayonet. The British still held the 
inner fortifications ; but these were swept by the fire of 
the American batteries. The situation of Cornwallis be- 
coming desperate, on the 19th of October, 1781, he sur- 
rendered. On this memorable occasion, the American 



THE LAST YEARS OF THE REVOLUTION 1 55 




Surrender of Cornwallis 



and French troops were drawn up in two columns, Wash- 
ington and Rochambeau being at their head ; and between 
them the conquered British marched out and laid down 
their arms, the bands playing "The world's upside down." 

Peace at Last — A great victory had been won; and 
Congress set apart a day for thanksgiving and prayer, 
while Washington ordered that all persons under arrest 
should be set free so that they, too, might share in the gen- 
eral rejoicing. The surrender at Yorktown was virtually 
the closing scene of the war, and it was fitting that it should 
occur in the Old Dominion, where the prelude to the Revo- 
lution had taken place. 

Governor Nelson. — Among the Virginia patriots of the 
Revolution, Thomas Nelson, who succeeded Jefferson as 
governor, stands preeminent. He was a man of great 



1 5 6 



FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



wealth, all of which he sacrificed to his country's needs. 
When two Virginia regiments were ordered to the Caro- 
linas, before the soldiers started, he gave them all that was 
due them as back pay out of his own private fortune. At 
a time when the public credit was in a very depressed con- 
dition, the state tried to borrow two million dollars to aid 




Nelson at the Siege of Yorktown 



in carrying on the war, but the amount could not be 
obtained on the security of the commonwealth. Seeing 
this, Nelson added his personal security to that of the 
state, and in this way a large proportion of the sum was 
raised. At the siege of Yorktown, Nelson noticed that 
the American gunners refrained from firing at his house, 
which had become a refuge for the British. Thereupon 
he directed the first gun at it himself, and offered five 



THE LAST YEARS OF THE REVOLUTION 1 57 

guineas to the cannoneer who would put the first ball 
through it. He was for some time before the end of 
the war commander in chief of the Virginia forces ; and 
Washington made special mention of the services ren- 
dered by him in bringing the siege of Yorktown to a suc- 
cessful issue. Nelson has many honorable descendants 
living in Virginia. 

QUESTIONS 

1 . After the battle of Saratoga, where was the seat of war transferred ? 

2. Why did the British decide to attack Virginia? 

3. What did they do in Portsmouth and elsewhere? 

4. In subjugating Virginia, what did they believe would follow? 

5. What depredations did Benedict Arnold commit? 

6. What did the British do in the spring? 

7. Who was Marquis de Lafayette? 

8. How had the war progressed in the Carolinas? 

9. What was the result of the battle of King's Mountains 

10. Describe the battle of Cowpens 

1 1 . What was Cornwallis's plan after these battles? 

12. Give an account of the maneuvers of Cornwallis and Lafayette. 

13. Why did Tarleton make a raid on Charlottesville? 

14. How did Washington entrap Cornwallis? 

1 5 . Describe the siege of Yorktown. 

16. When and where did Cornwallis surrender? 

17. Describe the situation of the armies at the time. 

18. What did Congress order to be done? 

1 9 What is said of the surrender of Cornwallis ? 

20. Who was Thomas Neison? 

21 . In what ways did he show his patriotism ? 



CHAPTER XIX 

VIRGINIA'S CONQUEST OF HER NORTHWEST TERRITORY 

British Occupation of the Northwest Territory. — The 
vast domain north of the Ohio River, Virginia claimed 
belonged to her by the terms of the charter of 1609, in 
which her territory was said to reach " up into the land 
from sea to sea." But the British had taken possession 
of this country, and had captured from the French the 
military forts at Kaskaskia and Vincennes. Still, in senti- 
ment, the people were anti-English, and were ready to 
acknowledge the authority of Virginia. 

The " Hannibal of the West." — Before the Revolution 
ended this territory was brought under the jurisdiction of 
the Old Dominion, as the result of a most daring enter- 
prise, which was successfully carried through by a native 
Virginian, George Rogers Clarke, whose exploits gave 
him the title of the " Hannibal of the West." He had 
moved to Kentucky, which had been made a county of 
Virginia, and, finding that the Ohio Indians, instigated 
as he believed by the British, were invading the coun- 
try, he conceived the daring project of protecting it by 
conquering the Northwest Territory for Virginia. So he 
journeyed back to Virginia, and unfolded his plan to Gov- 
ernor Henry, who enthusiastically indorsed the scheme, 
and took steps to equip an expedition to carry it out. 
Clarke was commissioned colonel, supplied with money, 
and authorized to enlist men in any county of the com- 

158 



VIRGINIA'S NORTHWEST TERRITORY I 59 

monwealth till he had raised seven companies of fifty 
each. After much difficulty he equipped three compa- 
nies, and with these he started ; but on his way he was 
joined by some Kentuckians, which raised his force to 
nearly two hundred. 

Capture of Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes. — After a 
long march through the wilderness, he reached Kaskaskia, 
and attacked the place by night. He thus describes the 
result. "I immediately divided my little army into two 
divisions; ordered one to surround the town; with the 
other, I broke into the fort, secured the governor, Mr. 
Rocheblave, in fifteen minutes had every street secured ; 
sent runners through the town, ordering the people on 
pain of death to keep close to their homes, which they 
observed; and before daylight, had the whole town dis- 
armed." The people, after being assured by Colonel 
Clarke that their rights would be respected, readily took 
an oath of allegiance to Virginia. They even organized a 
company of volunteers, who marched to Cahokia, a French 
town sixty miles north of Kaskaskia, and this settlement 
gave in its submission. Vincennes, having grown weary of 
British rule, now surrendered without a struggle, the 
inhabitants agreeing to garrison the fort, which Clarke 
left in charge of one of his men. 

Clarke gets Control over the Indians. —The Indians were 
amazed at what had happened, and their chiefs, within a 
circuit of five hundred miles, hastened to Cahokia to see 
the big warrior of the " Long Knives," as they called the 
Virginians. Clarke met them in council, and, showing 
them a peace belt and a war belt, bade them take their 
choice, manifesting at the same time no concern as to 
which they might select. One after another declared for 
peace ; and thus Clarke obtained control over them. 



i6o 



FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 




Clarke at the Indian Counc! 



The British recapture Vincennes. — Clarke made this con- 
quest in 1778; but toward the end of the year, Colonel 
Hamilton, governor of Canada, descended the Wabash 
River with eight hundred men, and recaptured Vincennes. 
After this he made preparations for a grand campaign 
when the spring opened, his plan being to take Kaskaskia 
from Clarke, subdue Kentucky, and then, coming further 
into Virginia, overrun the settlements west of the Alle- 
ghanies. This alarming news Clarke obtained from Colonel 
Vigo, a Spanish merchant of St. Louis, who also informed 
him that for the winter Hamilton had with him at Vincennes 
only eighty men to garrison the place, having sent his other 
troops away until he should need them in the spring. 

Clarke surprises Hamilton. — Clarke decided, as he him- 
self stated, that he would take Hamilton before Hamilton 



VIRGINIA'S NORTHWEST TERRITORY l6l 

could take him, and so he at once set out for Vincennes 
with his little army. In midwinter he made a march of 
two hundred and fifty miles, which for hardship has rarely 
been paralleled. The rivers were swollen by the winter 
rains, and the Illinois prairies were full of water and ice. 
For miles in the low grounds of the Wabash River, the 
troops were compelled to wade through water breast high ; 
but under the influence of their intrepid leader, they per- 
severed in spite of all obstacles. Great was Governor 
Hamilton's surprise when Clarke appeared and demanded 
his surrender. He made the best defense he could, but 
finally was forced to submit. Clarke sent him to Virginia, 
a prisoner of war. 

Civil Government Organized. — As soon as Virginia had 
established her claim to her Northwest Territory, Governor 
Henry appointed Colonel John Todd to administer the 
civil government. Courts of justice and military companies 
were organized at Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes ; and 
the machinery of a complete civil government set into 
operation. 

Importance of the Conquest. — For the conquest of the 
country north of the Ohio, Congress never furnished a 
dollar nor a soldier. . The glory of the undertaking be- 
longs exclusively to Colonel Clarke and to Virginia. Its 
importance can hardly be overestimated ; for the fact that 
Virginia was in possession of the country at the close of 
the Revolution enabled the United States to hold it when 
peace was made with England. Had it not been con- 
quered by Virginia, it would doubtless be Canadian terri- 
tory to-day. 



62 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



QUESTIONS 

i. What was the extent of Virginia's Northwest Territory? 

2. Who took possession of this territory? 

3. What was the sentiment of its people? 

4. By whom was it restored to Virginia, and by what title was he 

known ? 

5. Who was George Rogers Clarke, and what was his plan? 

6. Give an account of the capture of the three forts. 

7. What did the inhabitants agree to do? 

8. How did Clarke get control over the Indians? 

9. What happened soon after he made this conquest? 

10. How did Clarke surprise Governor Hamilton? 

1 1 . What was the result ? 

12. What did Virginia do as soon as her claim was established? 

13. To whom does the glory of this conquest belong, and why was it 

such an important one ? 



CHAPTER XX 

VIRGINIA IN THE UNION 

Virginia Cedes her Northwest Territory. — The colonies 
had won their independence by united action ; but at the 
close of the Revolution many rivalries existed between 
them. The claims which seven of the thirteen states made 
to western lands, caused so many disputes that the Arti- 
cles of Confederation, adopted by Congress during the 
Revolution, were not signed by all the states till 1781. 
Maryland would not agree to them unless the states own- 
ing western land would cede it to the United States. Vir- 
ginia, earnestly desiring union, surrendered her territory 1 
north of the Ohio to bring this about. Her patriotism in 
this act becomes conspicuous when the greatness of her 
possessions is considered and the soundness of her title, 
which was based both upon her charter and upon conquest. 

Boundary Dispute between Virginia and Pennsylvania. — 
The territory beyond the western boundary of Maryland 
was claimed by both Virginia and Pennsylvania ; and in 

1 Virginia gave her Northwest Territory to the United States on condition 
" that the necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by this state in subdu- 
ing any British posts or maintaining forts or garrisons within and for the 
defense, or in acquiring any part of the territory so ceded or relinquished, 
shall be fully reimbursed by the United States." In speaking of this stipula- 
tion, William L. Royall says, "The United States government accepted her 
(Virginia's) grant upon the express understanding that it would repay her 
these expenses, which it has never done. With their accumulated interest 
these expenses would be a very large sum now." — Virginia State Debt Con- 
troversy, p. in. 

163 



1 64 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

their contest over the matter, they almost went to war. 
But commissioners, appointed by the states to settle the 
quarrel, agreed to begin at the Delaware River and to ex- 
tend Mason and Dixon's line 1 due west five degrees of 
longitude for the southern boundary of Pennsylvania, and 
then to draw a meridian from the western extremity of the 
state to its northern limit for its western boundary. The 
" Pan-Handle " is the part of Virginia that was left north 
of Mason and Dixon's line and east of the Ohio River. 
The extension of the line was not completed till 1785. 

Virginia Leads the Movement for a more Perfect Union. 
— After the Articles of Confederation had been signed 
they proved insufficient for the government of the country. 
The states soon began to quarrel in regard to commerce, 
and some laid taxes on articles imported from others. So 
great were the difficulties which confronted the Confedera- 
tion that the legislature of Virginia invited the states to 
hold a convention to consider the regulation of the trade 
and commerce of the United States. This convention met 
in Annapolis in 1786; but, as only five states were repre- 
sented, the delegates adjourned after passing a resolution 
requesting the states to call a convention in order to 
revise the Articles of Confederation. This body met in 
Philadelphia, and after a discussion which lasted for four 
months, on September 17, 1787, adopted the present 
Constitution of the United States. 

1 The boundary line between Maryland and Pennsylvania was laid out by 
two eminent English surveyors, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, and named 
after them Mason and Dixon's line. They commenced the line in 1763, but 
did not finish it till 1767, the delay being chiefly due to Indian troubles. 
Mason and Dixon's line became the most famous in the United States be- 
cause it was popularly supposed to separate the slave states from the free 
states; but this was an error, as Delaware, which is both north and east of the 
line, was a slave state. 



VIRGINIA IX THE UNION 165 

The Constitution Ratified. — There was great opposition 
to the Constitution in Virginia; and in every county 
speeches were made for it and against it. The people 
were divided into two great parties, and much bitterness 
was manifested in the discussions that took place. On 
June 2, 1788, a convention met at Richmond, which was 
now the capital, to consider the adoption of the new plan 
of government. A vehement struggle occurred, as is 
shown by the reports of the speeches that were made 
on this occasion. Patrick Henry led the opposition, and 
James Madison the party in favor of ratification. Finally 
on June 25, the Constitution was adopted by a vote of 
eighty-nine to seventy-nine. The result was largely due to 
the influence of Washington, which was exerted in favor of 
the Constitution. It was ultimately signed by all the states. 

Virginia Proposes another Revision. — Though Virginia 
had adopted the Constitution, yet she was far from being 
satisfied with it. So strong was her belief that some 
essential changes should be made in it that, in 1788, her 
legislature addressed a communication to Congress, ask- 
ing that a new convention should be called to revise it. 
Fortunately for the permanence of the Union this was not 
done ; but Congress at its first session adopted a number 
of amendments to the Constitution, which did much to 
remove the discontent. Notwithstanding this, Virginia 
was for a long time prominent in her dissatisfaction with 
the Constitution, her people fearing that under it a strong 
central government would be formed which would impair 
the sovereignty of the states. 

The Alien and Sedition Laws. —In 1798, during the 
administration of President Adams, who succeeded Wash- 
ington, Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Laws, the 
first giving the President power to banish any foreigner 

VIRG. HIST. — 1 1 



1 66 



FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



who was regarded as dangerous to the peace of the country, 
while the second laid heavy penalties upon persons who 
should resist government officials in the discharge of law- 
ful acts, and upon those who might speak or publish any- 
thing that would bring the government or its officers into 
bad repute. These laws met with a most vigorous oppo- 




Mt. Vernon, Washington's Home 



sition in Virginia, on the ground that they were an exercise 
of powers not granted in the Constitution. On December 
2, 1798, the legislature passed resolutions, in which it was 
affirmed that the powers of the government were limited 
to such as were specially mentioned in the compact between 
the states, and that, if the Federal government should go 
beyond the authority given to it, the states had a right to 



VIRGINIA IN THE UNION 



167 



declare such action unconstitutional. The excitement that 
had been aroused by the obnoxious laws led to no serious 
result at the time; but the strict interpretation of the 
Constitution, as expressed in the famous resolutions of 
1798, became the fundamental principle of the State- 
Rights party in Virginia. 




Washington's Tomb 

The Great Virginian. — Washington was the first Presi- 
dent elected under the Constitution. He took the oath 
of office in New York on April 30, 1789. Of all the great 
men of Virginia and of the United States, he stands first 
for ability and distinguished service. His management 
of the American army during the Revolution places him 
high in the rank of the world's greatest commanders ; 



1 68 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

and the wisdom he displayed during his presidency, in 
carrying the country safely through the dangers that 
threatened to subvert it after independence had been 
won, gave him a reputation for statesmanship of the high- 
est order. Truly he was " first in war, first in peace, and 
first in the hearts of his countrymen." He died at his 
home, Mount Vernon, in 1799, beloved by all. 

Period of Prosperity. — At the end of the Revolution the 
people of Virginia were very poor. The war had taxed 
their resources to the utmost, and during its last years much 
of their property had been destroyed by the British soldiers. 
But in a few years, a great change for the better set in ; and 
toward the close of the eighteenth century, Virginia entered 
upon an era of prosperity which extended through more 
than half of the nineteenth century. Her tobacco found 
ready sale in Europe at high prices, and was the source of 
much wealth. So the people lived in plenty and content- 
ment. Under the influence of liberal laws, labor had its due 
reward; and but few paupers were to be found in the state. 

" The Mother of States and of Statesmen. ,, — A few- 
years after the Revolution, Kentucky, which was a part of 
Virginia, was admitted into the Union as a separate state. 
This was done with the consent of Virginia, whose limits 
were thus reduced to what is now contained in the two 
Virginias. At a later period, out of the magnificent terri- 
tory north of the Ohio, which Virginia had given to the 
United States, the great states of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, 
Illinois, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota were succes- 
sively carved ; and thus the Old Dominion became known 
as the "Mother of States." She was also called the 
" Mother of Statesmen," because so many distinguished 
men were nurtured on her soil. She furnished four of the 
first five presidents — Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and 



VIRGINIA IN THE UNION 



169 



Monroe, each of whom served two terms. Tyler was also 
from Virginia, and Harrison and Taylor were born in Vir- 
ginia, though they were residents of other states when 
elected. Thus she has given to the Union more presi- 
dents than any other state. 




htoi4A&- 





Burning of the Richmond Theater 

Burning of the Richmond Theater. — A domestic calamity 
that occurred on the night of December 26, 181 1, claims a 
place in history. This was the burning of the Richmond 
theater, when it was filled with a fashionable audience of 
about six hundred, w,ho had assembled to witness a drama 



i;o FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

called the Bleeding Nun. During the performance a 
spark fell on the curtain of the stage, and from this the 
building was speedily enveloped in flames. A panic en- 
sued, and seventy persons lost their lives, many of whom 
belonged to the most influential families in the state. 
This memorable disaster filled the city with mourning. 
Throughout the state, and indeed all over the country, it 
caused the deepest sorrow. The Assembly of Virginia 
by resolution requested its members to wear crape for 
thirty days, and the same action was taken by Congress. 
The next year, Monumental Church was erected where the 
theater had been. The church still stands, and at the door 
there is a marble monument, upon which are the names of 
a number of those who perished in this disaster. 

War of 1812. 1 — In the war which the United States 
waged against Great Britain in 18 12, volunteers enlisted 
from all parts of Virginia in the service of their country ; 
and the state patriotically sustained the Federal govern- 
ment. Only once during the war was the territory of Vir- 
ginia invaded. This was just a few months before the 
termination of hostilities, when Admiral Cockburn, who 
commanded a British fleet, entered the waters of the Ches- 
apeake and laid waste its banks. He captured Hampton; 

1 The cause of this war, briefly stated, was as follows: During the first 
years of the nineteenth century, England and France were at war, and each 
of these nations prohibited American ships from trading with the other. This 
nearly ruined the commerce of the United States, and brought on a quarrel 
with England. The feeling of hostility toward England, caused by the dam- 
age to trade, was further increased by a right she claimed of searching Ameri- 
can vessels, and of taking from them English seamen, in order to force them 
into her navy. In exercising this right, she did not always stop with her own 
subjects, but compelled many American seamen to enter her service. Finally, 
the people decided that these outrages could be borne no longer ; and, on June 
iS. 1S12, the United States declared war against England. "Free trade and 
Sailors' Rights'' was the popular cry that brought on the war. 



VIRGINIA IN THE UNION I/I 

and, during the short time he occupied the place, rendered 
himself infamous by allowing his soldiers and negroes that 
followed them to commit outrages of every kind upon 
the defenseless inhabitants. 

What Virginians did for the Union. — During the first 
half of the nineteenth century, the territory of the United 
States was nearly quadrupled ; and Virginians were instru- 
mental either directly or indirectly in bringing about the 
greater part of this tremendous increase of area. The 
territory of Louisiana was purchased by Thomas Jefferson 
while he was President. This province, which had been 
ceded by Spain to France, extended from the Gulf of 
Mexico on the south to Canada on the north, and from the 
Mississippi River on the east to the Rocky Mountains on 
the west ; in securing this, Jefferson more than doubled the 
area of the United States. Nor was this all that he did to 
extend the dominion of the Union. In 1804 he sent Cap- 
tains Lewis and Clarke of Albemarle County, Virginia, 
with a party of men to explore the territory of Louisiana. 
They ascended the Missouri River as far as they could in 
boats, and proceeded on foot till they came to its source. 
After this, making their way across the Rocky Mountains, 
they explored the valley of the Columbia River, till they 
reached the Pacific Ocean. The discoveries which were 
made by Lewis and Clarke proved to be important, as 
they aided the United States, at a later period, in estab- 
lishing her title to Oregon. President Monroe, during his 
administration, purchased Florida from Spain, thus adding 
another large area to the public domain. General Sam 
Houston, a native of Rockbridge County, led the Texans to 
victory in their struggle for independence from Mexico ; 
which resulted in the admission of Texas to the Union. 
In the war with Mexico which followed, two Virginians, 



172 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

Generals Taylor and Scott, commanded the United States 
armies, when they achieved that wonderful succession of 
victories, which led to the submission of Mexico and to the 
dismemberment of her territory, a large part of which came 
to the United States. 1 

" The Pathfinder of the Sea." — To the scientific investi- 
gations of a Virginian, Matthew Fontaine Maury, not only 
the United States but the whole civilized world is in- 
debted. He entered the navy in 1825, and in 1842 was 
appointed Superintendent of the Depot of Charts and 
Instruments at Washington. At this time the sailing 
maps in use were very inaccurate, and but meager infor- 
mation had been obtained in regard to ocean currents. 
Maury soon published a chart, which he called a " Fair 
Way to Rio." This proved to be so accurate and valuable 
that Congress authorized him to make systematic observa- 
tions of winds and currents. This he did, and as a result 
originated a system of "Wind and Current Charts," which 
was speedily adopted by mariners of all nations. By its 
use thousands of lives were annually saved and millions of 
dollars in the cost of voyages. Maury also instituted deep 
sea soundings, 2 which convinced him that the bottom of 
the ocean between Newfoundland and Ireland was a 
plateau, the surface of which was not disturbed by either 

1 This war broke out in 1 846, as a result of a dispute between the United 
States and Mexico in regard to the western boundary of Texas. Mexico was 
defeated, and in 1848 signed a treaty by which she ceded to the United States 
all the territory claimed by Texas, and in addition the territory of California 
and New Mexico, out of which a number of states were made. Many Vir- 
ginians fought in Mexico, and received there the training which rendered 
them so efficient as soldiers in 1861, when Virginia felt under the painful 
necessity of drawing the sword against the Union. 

2 Colonel John M. Brooke of Virginia rendered Maury valuable aid in deep 
sea soundings by inventing an apparatus which brought up specimens from the 
bottom of the ocean. 



VIRGINIA IN THE UNION 1 73 

waves or currents. He suggested that the wires of a sub- 
marine telegraph could be safely laid upon this. His idea 
was followed up, and in 1858 Europe and America were 
connected by the first Atlantic cable. Upon Maury the 
principal nations of Europe conferred many honors in 
recognition of his services to mankind. His Physical 
Geography of the Sea, which has been translated into many 
languages, is an enduring monument to his genius. 

Virginia's Influence upon other States. — The Old Do- 
minion, whose hardy pioneers began at an early period to 
push their way out into the South and West, has done her 
full part in bringing about the settlement and development 
of the United States. As early as 1653, ten years before 
the profligate Charles II. granted North Carolina to "lord 
proprietors," Roger Greene, with one hundred men from 
Virginia, settled on the northern shore of Albemarle 
Sound, and thus laid the foundation of the colony that 
grew into North Carolina. In 1750, Dr. Thomas Walker 
and a company of Virginians explored a part of Tennessee 
and discovered the Cumberland River and Mountains, 
which they named after the Duke of Cumberland. John 
Sevier and James Robertson, both Virginians by birth, 
were the leaders in founding the earliest settlements in 
Tennessee, and Sevier was elected first governor of the 
state. In such enterprises as these Virginia has borne a 
prominent part. Her influence has been great in some 
states of the West, and the beginning of nearly all govern- 
ment in the South can be traced to her. Her University, 
which was founded by Thomas Jefferson in 18 19, and may 
justly be called the noblest work of his life, was for a long 
time the educational center of the whole South. Its halls 
are still filled with students from many states, and its 
alumni are to be found all over the country. 



174 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 



QUESTIONS 

1. Why did Virginia cede her Northwest Territory to the Union? 

2. What is said of her patriotism in this act? 

3. Give an account of the disputed boundary line between Virginia 

and Pennsylvania. 

4. What was Mason and Dixon's line? 

5. Why did Virginia invite the states to hold a convention? 

6. What resolution did this convention pass? 

7. When and where did a second convention meet to revise the 

Articles of Confederation, and what was done ? 

8. How was the Constitution regarded in Virginia? 

9. When did she ratify it? 

10. Why did she propose another revision? 

ir. What were the Alien and Sedition Laws, and why did Virginia 
oppose them ? 

12. What resolutions did the legislature adopt in 1798? 

13. What is said of George Washington? 

14. What is said of Virginia's prosperity? 

15. Why was Virginia called the " Mother of States "? 

16. Why the " Mother of Statesmen "? 

17. Give an account of the burning of Richmond theater. 

18. What action was taken by the legislature and Congress in regard 

to it? 

19. What has been erected on the spot? 

20. What was the War of 181 2? 

21. How did Virginia suffer in this war? 

22. How much did the territory of the United States increase during 

the first half of the nineteenth century? 

23. What purchase did Jefferson make while President? 

24. Describe the Lewis and Clarke expedition. 

25. What territory did President Monroe purchase from Spain? 

26. Who led the Texans in their war for independence? 

27. State the cause of the Mexican War. 

28. What part did Virginians take in this war? 

29. Who was Matthew Fontaine Maury? 

30. How did he benefit mankind? 

31. What is said of Virginia's influence upon other states? 



CHAPTER XXI 

SLAVERY 

Encouraged by England. — After the first negroes were 
brought to Virginia in 1619, so profitable did the slave 
trade become that England encouraged it in every way. 
There was at this time no moral sentiment against slavery, 
as is shown by the fact that Queen Anne herself owned a 
large part of the stock of the Royal African Company. 

Attitude of Virginia. — While the Virginians could use 
negroes with profit in agriculture, yet the wisdom of 
making this system of labor the corner stone of the pros- 
perity of the people was early called into question, some 
of the wisest men foreseeing that it was likely to prove 
the cause of much disaster. During colonial days over a 
hundred petitions were sent from Virginia to the king and 
to Parliament, asking that the further importation of negroes 
from Africa should be stopped ; but these proved unavail- 
ing. After the Revolution the feeling against the slave 
trade continued; and in 1787, when Congress passed the 
Ordinance for the government of the Northwest Territory, 
one clause of which prohibited slavery, Virginia fully 
approved this action. Many of her ablest statesmen re- 
garded the system as a bad one, and hoped the time would 
come when she herself would be free from it. 

New England's Connection with Slavery. — When the 
Revolution began, slavery existed in all the colonies ; but 
in the North it was dying out, because it was not profitable. 

i75 



176 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

For some time before the Revolution, the people of New 
England began to engage in the business of importing 
negroes from Africa to sell to the people of the South, and 
this soon became to them a money-making employment. 
So during the Revolution, when a bill, which was favored 
by Virginia and other states, was brought before Congress 
to put an end to the slave trade, it was opposed by New 
England and the cotton states — by New England, because 
she had so much money invested in slave ships, and by the 
cotton states because they wished more negroes for their 
cotton fields. For this reason not till early in the nine- 
teenth century was the trade forbidden by law ; and even 
after this it was for a time carried on secretly. 

Change of Feeling in the North in regard to Slavery. — 
So long as the New England people were engaged in the 
slave trade, they did not take an active stand against 
slavery ; but soon after the importation of negroes was 
stopped by law, the belief that slavery was an evil that 
should not exist in the country at all began to win adher- 
ents. The inhabitants of the North had nothing to lose by 
the destruction of the institution ; for it had never gained 
any foothold among them, and had practically been 
abolished by the beginning of the nineteenth century. 

Gabriel's Insurrection. — The negroes in Virginia were 
kindly treated by their masters, and as a rule gave but 
little trouble from insubordination. Several servile insur- 
rections, however, mar the history of the commonwealth. 
The first occurred in 1800, and was instigated by a negro, 
named Gabriel, who belonged to a farmer near Richmond. 
He formed a plot to capture Richmond, kill the citizens, 
and plunder the place. He collected his followers, armed 
them with scythe blades, and set out on his nefarious ex- 
pedition on a dark summer night. But he was doomed to 



SLAVERY 177 

disaster from the beginning. A violent storm made a 
creek in his front impassable, which delayed his opera- 
tions. Before he could make his proposed attack, he 
learned that his plot had been discovered; and thereupon 
he and his deluded companions at once fled to the woods 
and swamps for refuge. Gabriel was captured, and with 
a number of others was condemned to death. 

Nat Turner's Insurrection. — Thirty-one years later the 
tranquillity of the state was disturbed by a second insurrec- 
tion, which resulted more seriously. A negro preacher by 
the name of Nat Turner, who belonged to a Mr. T ravers 
of Southampton County, succeeded in persuading his 
people that he was a prophet. He appealed to their 
superstitious by tracing on a sheet of paper in blood a 
crucifix, a representation of the sun, and other mystic 
signs, which he claimed indicated the approach of the 
most remarkable events. As a result of his intriguing, the 
negroes all through the South Side fell under his influence 
and became frenzied with excitement. When his plot was 
ripe, he started the insurrection in Southampton County, 
by killing his master and family with an ax. Next a 
lady and ten children were slain, and then a number of 
school children. Now reveling in blood, and half crazy with 
excitement, the negroes marched to Jerusalem, now called 
Courtland, where they were dispersed by a party of armed 
citizens. They hid in the woods and swamps, where some 
were killed and the rest captured. Twenty-one were 
brought to Jerusalem for trial, and thirteen of them, Nat 
Turner among the number, were hanged. Fifty-five white 
persons, nearly all of whom were women and children, 
were the victims of this uprising. 

Sentiment in Virginia in Later Times. — The feeling 
which Virginia had repeatedly manifested against slavery 



178 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

continued. In 1832 an emancipation bill was introduced 
in the legislature. The measure did not pass ; but a 
resolution, postponing the consideration of the matter till 
public opinion had further developed, was adopted. Had 
Virginia been let alone and no attempt been mads to inter- 
fere with her domestic matters, she would doubtless have, 
in due time, set her slaves free in a manner that would 
have been best for them and for her own welfare. 

Fugitive Slaves. — The Federal Constitution recognized 
slavery fully, and it contained a provision that negroes 
who might escape from their homes and go into another 
state should be returned to their masters. To carry out 
this provision effectually, Congress passed a special law 
that all runaway negroes found in the Northern states 
should be arrested and, without trial by jury, be sent back 
to their masters. But the execution of this law was resisted 
in the North, and in a number of states Personal Liberty 
Laws were passed which nullified the act of Congress. 

John Browns Raid. — The excitement over slavery was 
greatly intensified by an attempt that was made to bring 
about the emancipation of the negroes of Virginia by incit- 
ing them to raise an insurrection. This was the act of 
John Brown, a native of Connecticut, who had taken part 
in the struggle in Kansas to keep that state from adopting 
a constitution authorizing slavery. On the night of October 
16, 1859, ne > w ith twenty followers, took possession of 
Harper's Ferry, captured a number of citizens whom he 
held as hostages, and seized the United States arsenal at 
the place, intending to obtain from it arms for the negroes 
whom he expected to join him. But in this he was mis- 
taken, for none of them came to his support. 

Brown Captured and Executed. — Governor Wise called 
out a force of volunteers and militia to put down the dis- 



SLAVERY 



179 




Capture of Joan Brown 

turbance. But before the state troops could reach Har- 
per's Ferry, a number of Brown's gang had been killed 
and the rest captured by Colonel Robert E. Lee 1 and a body 

1 Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), born at Stratford, Westmoreland County, 
Va., descended from a long line of illustrious ancestors. He was educated 
at West Point; and, while there, he was never reprimanded, and never re- 
ceived a demerit. After his graduation, he served in the Mexican War, and 
rose to distinction. When Virginia seceded, Lee at once resigned his commis- 
sion in the United States army and offered his services to his native state. 
His masterly defence of Richmond won for him a wide reputation as one of 
the ablest military commanders of modern times. When the Civil War ended, 
he was elected president of Washington College. After his death, in honor of 
him, the name of the college was changed to Washington and Lee University. 

Lee was a strikingly handsome man and a graceful rider. His noble quali- 
ties and the great purity of his life made him an inspiration to his followers. 
In his own life, he certainly exemplified his belief in the maxim he himself 
uttered that " Duty is the sublimest word in the English language." 



180 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

of United States marines, who had been dispatched to the 
scene of action. Several citizens and one negro were killed 
by Brown's party before the termination of the affair. 
Brown was among those captured, and he with six of his 
followers were tried and hung for treason, insurrection, and 
murder. 

Report of the Senate Committee. — A committee of the 
United States Senate looked into the matter, and made a 
report in which it was stated that Brown's attack upon 
Virginia " was simply the act of lawless ruffians, under the 
sanction of no public or political authority, distinguishable 
only from ordinary felonies by the ulterior ends in contem- 
plation by them, and by the fact that the money to maintain 
the expedition and the large armament they brought with 
them had been contributed and furnished by the citizens 
of other states of the Union under circumstances that 
must continue to jeopard the safety and peace of the 
Southern states, and against which Congress has no 
power to legislate." 

Political Significance of Brown's Attack. — Brown brought 
with him to Harper's Ferry a number of muskets, pistols, 
and about fifteen hundred pikes which were made expressly 
for him in Connecticut, and which he thought would be 
effective weapons in the hands of the negroes. An inves- 
tigation of the insurrection showed that Brown had the 
sympathy and the help of a number of persons at the 
North in this plot to raise a servile war. This fact con- 
vinced Virginia that the Constitution and the laws of the 
Union were not sufficient to protect her, and it hastened 
the breaking out of the Civil War. 



REVIEW QUESTIONS l8l 



QUESTIONS 

1. Why did England encourage the traffic in negroes? 

2. What did Virginia do to prevent its growth? 

3. What was New England's connection with slavery? 

4. Why was it encouraged both by the New England and cotton 

states ? 

5. What change of feeling in regard to slavery had taken place in the 

North ? 

6. Give an account of Gabriel's Insurrection. 

7. Of Nat Turner's Insurrection. 

8. What was the sentiment in Virginia in later times? 

9. What is said of fugitive slaves ? 

10. Who was John Brown, and what is said of his raid? 

1 1 . By whom was he captured ? 

12. Give the leading facts in the life of Robert E. Lee. 

13. What was Brown's fate? 

14. Give the report of the Senate Committee on this raid. 

15. What weapons did John Brown bring, who were they for. and 

where made? 

16. What did an investigation show? 

REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1. Describe the battles of King's Mountain and Cowpens. 

2. Give an account of the maneuvers of Cornwallis and Lafayette. 

3. How was Cornwallis entrapped? 

4. Describe the siege of Yorktown and Cornwallis's surrender. 

5. Who was Governor Nelson, and what is said of his patriotism? 

6. Give an account of the exploits of George Rogers Clarke, by which 

Virginia recovered her Northwest Territory. 

7. What generous spirit did Virginia show in order to bring about a 

union of the states? 

8. Why was the present Constitution formed to take the place of the 

Articles of Confederation? 

9. Describe the Alien and Sedition Laws, and tell of the resolutions 

adopted by Virginia in regard to them. 

10. Why is Virginia called the " Mother of States and of Statesmen" ? 

1 1 . Describe the burning of Richmond theater. 

12. What was the cause of the War of 181 2? 

VIRG. HIST. — 12 



1 82 FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR 

13. What important services did Virginians render the Union? 

14. What was Virginia's attitude toward slavery? 

15. Give New England's connection with slavery, and tell about the 

change of feeling at the North in regard to it. 

16. What is said of fugitive slaves? 

17. Give an account of John Brown's Raid, his capture and execution. 

18. What was the report of the Senate Committee, and the political 

significance of this raid ? 



CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS (1763-1860) 

1765. Stamp Act passed by Parliament. 

1766. Stamp Act repealed. 

1767. A tax imposed on tea and other articles. 

1769. Famous Virginia resolves passed by the House of Burgesses 

1770. All duties except on tea repealed. 

1773. The tea thrown overboard at Boston Harbor. 

1774. The first Continental Congress met at Philadelphia, September 5. 

1775. Battles of Lexington and Concord, April 19. 
1775. End of royal government in Virginia. 

1775. Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17. 

1776. Declaration of Independence signed, July 4. 

1777. Burgoyne's surrender. October 17. 

1778. American independence acknowledged by France. 

1779. Clarke's conquest of the Northwest Territory. 

1780. Battle of King's Mountain, October 7. 

1 78 1. Richmond captured by Arnold. 
1 78 1. Battle of Cowpens, January 17. 
1781. Surrender of Cornwallis, October 19. 

1787. Constitution of the United States adopted in convention, Sep- 

tember 17. 

1788. Virginia ratifies the Constitution. 

1789. Washington inaugurated, April 30. 

1799. Washington died at Mt. Vernon, December 14. 

1803. Louisiana purchased from France, April 30. 

181 1. Richmond theater burned, December 26. 

1812. War declared against England. 
1846. Mexican War. 

1859. John Brown's Raid, October 16. 



THIRD PERIOD — FROM THE CIVIL WAR 
TO THE PRESENT TIME 



CHAPTER XXII 

APPROACH OF THE CIVIL WAR 

The Constitution Ambiguous. — The Constitution of the 
United States was the result of a series of compromises ; 
and at the time of its adoption, was not entirely satisfac- 
tory to any one. No sooner had it been ratified by the 
states than the people became divided into two parties, 
one holding that the language vf the Constitution should 
be construed strictly so that the sovereignty of the states 
would never be impaired, the other claiming that the 
powers of the Federal government ought to be enlarged, 
and that the Constitution should be interpreted so as to 
allow this to be done. Out of these antagonistic views 
there grew, as time passed, two opposing theories of the 
nature of the Union. These must now be stated in order 
to make clear the cause of the secession movement, which 
involved Virginia and all the other states in a long and 
bloody war. 

The State-Rights Theory. — On this theory the Union 
which the states created was one of limited powers, all 
powers not named in the Constitution as specially surren- 
dered to the Federal government being reserved by the 

183 



184 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

states. Accordingly, the United States was not a nation 
like England, but a league or confederacy between thirteen 
separate peoples. The Union being thus in the nature of 
a partnership, not limited in time, it followed, by the law 
governing such agreements, that the right to withdraw 
remained with each state. 

The National Theory. — The advocates of the second 
theory, called the National theory, held that the states in 
ratifying the Constitution had surrendered their statehood 
and had formed a nation. According to this view, the 
Union was indissoluble, and no state had a right to with- 
draw without the consent of the other states. 

Which was the True Theory ? — The interpretation that 
was given to the Constitution at the time of its formation 
is not historically uncertain. The evidence, if carefully 
examined, is convincing that the Union was regarded as a 
league. Mr. Lodge, a Northern writer, who has made a 
careful study of the subject, says : " When the Constitu- 
tion was adopted by the votes of States at Philadelphia, 
and accepted by the votes of States in popular conventions, 
it is safe to say that there was not a man in the country, 
from Washington and Hamilton on the one side to George 
Clinton and George Mason on the other, who regarded 
the new system as anything but an experiment entered 
upon by the States, and from which each and every State 
had the right peaceably to withdraw, a right which was 
very likely to be exercised." The above quotation states 
correctly the view taken of the Union when it was made. 
It was considered a league formed by independent states, 
each one of which retained the attribute of sovereignty. 1 

1 The advocates of the National theory of the Union often point to the 
clauses in the Constitution which forbid a state to make treaties, to coin money, 
to declare war, etc., as proof that the states surrendered their sovereignty. 



APPROACH OF THE CIVIL WAR 1 85 

The First Threats of Secession. — The first threats of 
secession came, not from the South, but from New Eng- 
land; and during the latter part of the eighteenth century 
and early in the nineteenth, movements were projected to 
bring about the withdrawal of New England from the 
Union. In 1796 Governor Wolcott of Connecticut de- 
clared that he wished the Northern states, the moment 
Jefferson was elected President, would separate from the 
Southern. The War of 18 12 was very unpopular in New 
England, and while it was going on secession from the 
Union was openly urged in public meetings by prominent 
men. 

Virginia and the South. — From the beginning Virginia 
had adopted the State-Rights theory of the Union, and 
she held to it unwaveringly. She formed no new political 
theories, but continued to look upon the Union as a league 

But. this argument loses its force, so far as the thirteen original states are con- 
cerned, from the fact that the restrictions mentioned were not laid on these 
states by any power above them or outside of them, but were self-imposed. 
Thus these clauses in the Constitution were similar in nature to those found in 
business contracts, by which the members of a firm agree to give up certain 
rights while they are in partnership; but when the compact between them is 
dissolved they can freely exercise the rights temporarily waived and all others 
that belong to individuals. 

In speaking of the character of the Federal government Woodrow Wilson 
says : "To us of the present day it seems that the Constitution framed in 1787 
gave birth in 1789 to a national government such as that which now consti- 
tutes an indestructible bond of union for the states; but the men of that time 
would certainly have laughed at any such idea." ... "It was for his state, each 
man felt, that his blood and treasure had been poured out; it was that Massa- 
chusetts and Virginia might be free that the war (Revolution) had been fought, 
not that the colonies might have a new central government set up over them; 
patriotism was state patriotism. The states were living organic persons; the 
Union was an arrangement, — possibly it would prove to be only a temporary 
arrangement; new adjustments might have to be made." — See State and Fed- 
eral Governments of the United States, pp. 28, 29. 



1 86 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

between independent states. The South, without excep- 
tion, under the teaching of John C. Calhoun, held to the 
same conception of the Federal tie. To Virginia and the 
South, therefore, the right to withdraw from the Union 
was one of the reserved rights of the states. Indeed, 
Virginia adopted the Constitution with the express under- 
standing that she could reassume the powers she had 
delegated to the Federal government whenever these 
powers should be perverted to the injury or oppression of 
her people. Thus before she entered the Union she made 
clear her right to leave it. 

The North and the West. — As times changed, the North 
changed its conception of what the Union was, and gave to 
the Constitution a meaning which no one attached to it in 
the early days of the republic. At first those who wished 
a strong government only held that the United States 
ought to be a nation. But under the influence of Daniel 
Webster the people of the North adopted the belief that 
the United States was a nation. Thus they changed the 
original conception of the Federal tie, and held that the 
states, in ratifying the Constitution, had formed a Union 
that could not be broken. The people of the West gen- 
erally held the same political belief. It was natural that 
they should do this ; for the Western states were created 
out of the public domain by the government of the United 
States, and for this reason, in them state lines did not have 
the same meaning as they did in the South, nor did state 
pride have the same influence. There was, it is true, much 
difference of opinion at the North and West upon the 
question of state sovereignty, many eminent statesmen 
and jurists viewing the matter as the South did ; but on 
the whole the mass of the people at the North and West, 
under the influence of the new theory they had formed, 



APPROACH OF THE CIVIL WAR 1 87 

regarded secession as unlawful and as constituting re- 
bellion. 

Reasons why the South wished to Secede. — The South 
and the North had not only grown apart in their political 
beliefs, but their interests had become different. The South 
was agricultural, while the North was largely engaged in 
manufacturing. Laws that suited one section did not suit 
the other, and this led to much irritation. The great cause 
of difference, however, was slavery, which had made the 
sections hostile to each other. The South, since slavery 
had become her peculiar institution, demanded that prop- 
erty in negroes should be as securely guaranteed as other 
forms of property, and desired to have slavery further 
extended. Adequate protection for this form of property 
the North was unwilling to give, as was shown in the way 
some of the states refused to allow the execution of the 
Fugitive Slave Law. This rendered the South uneasy. 
The Federal government had been created by the states 
to give security against domestic, as well as foreign dan- 
gers. But the time had come when it no longer brought 
domestic peace. The rights, guaranteed to the South in 
regard to her slaves, had already been violated, and were 
threatened with further invasion in the future. It could 
no longer be said that the Constitution was a Magna 
Charta that preserved rights. The realization of this 
made the South desire to leave the Union. Under the 
same government, the people of the South and of the 
North had lived together as brothers for many years; 
but the state of feeling between them had now become 
very different from what it was in the days of the Revolu- 
tion. It must ever be considered most deplorable that the 
people of the two sections should have become enemies 
ready to take each other's lives. 



l8S FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

QUESTIONS 

1. Was the Constitution of the United States satisfactory to all? 

2. What two parties sprang up, and what was the result? 

3. Give the State-Rights theory of the Union. 

4. The National theory. 

5. Which was the true one ? 

6. What does Mr. Lodge say on the subject? 

7. From what section did the first threats of secession come? 

8. What did the governor of Connecticut declare? 

9. Which theory did Virginia hold of the Union? 

10. With what express understanding had she adopted the Constitu- 

tion? 

11. By whose influence did the North change the original conception 

of the Federal tie? 

12. Why did the people of the West hold the same opinion as the 

North? 

13. In what ways were the interests of the North and South opposed? 

14. What was the chief cause of the difference in the sections, and 

what is said of it? 

15. Why did the South now feel uneasy in the Union? 

16. What is said of the Constitution? 



CHAPTER XXIII 

THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR 

Secession of the Cotton States. — In i860 Abraham Lin- 
coln a was elected President by the Republican party, which 
was opposed to any extension of slavery, and whose ex- 
treme members wished to abolish it in the territory where 
it then existed. When this occurred, the cotton states 
gave up hope of enjoying longer fraternal union with the 
North, and decided to exercise their reserved right of 
secession, thinking that this course of action was best for 
their peace and prosperity. South Carolina acted first, 
passing an ordinance of secession on December 20, i860. 
She was followed by Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Geor- 
gia, Louisiana, and Texas. The movement proceeded 
quietly, due observance being paid to legal form. The 
seceded states then formed a new union, called the Con- 

1 Abraham Lincoln (i 809-1865) was born in Kentucky. His parents were 
of humble origin, and too poor to educate him. He attended school one year 
only, and after this educated himself. When he was seven years old, his 
father moved to Indiana, where he spent his early life in hardship and toil. 
In 1830, the Lincoln family went to Illinois; and, on this journey, young 
Lincoln walked the whole distance, driving an ox team. He then helped his 
father build a log cabin, and split rails to inclose a little farm. In 1834, he 
began to study law, and by borrowing books soon acquired knowledge enough 
to be admitted to the bar. He next turned his attention to politics; and, 
after this, his life was a succession of promotions. He was elected to the 
Legislature, then to Congress, and, in i860, we find him President of the 
United States. He was noted for rugged strength and straightforwardness of 
character, his friends calling him " Honest Abe." 

189 




Abraham Lincoln 



THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR 191 

federate States of America, with Jefferson Davis l of Mis- 
sissippi as president. 

Virginia's Effort for Peace. — For a time there was a 
prospect of bringing the sections together again, and Vir- 
ginia earnestly desired to do this. She believed in the right 
of secession, but she doubted the expediency of the act. 
In addition to this, she was deeply attached to the Union 
for whose establishment she had done so much. Ani- 
mated by her love for it, she, through her General Assem- 
bly, recommended the holding of a Peace Conference to be 
participated in by all the states, to settle " the present un- 
happy controversy in the spirit in which the Constitution 
was originally formed." This convention met in Washing- 
ton, but failed in its efforts to restore harmony. 

Diplomacy. — After the inauguration of President Lin- 
coln, the Confederate government sent commissioners to 
Washington to arrange for a peaceable settlement of all 
questions at issue between the two governments. One 
thing asked for was the evacuation of all the forts in the 
territory of the seceded states that were still in possession 
of the United States. Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor 
was one of these ; and Mr. Seward, Secretary of State 
under Lincoln, gave assurance 2 that the fort would be 

1 Jefferson Davis ( 1 808-1 889) was a Kentuckian by birth, but when he was 
a few years old his father moved to Mississippi. He graduated at the United 
States Military Academy, after which he served for five years in the Indian 
wars in the West. He then resigned his commission in the army and became 
a cotton planter in Mississippi. He was elected to Congress ; but resigned 
his seat to serve in the Mexican War, in which he rose to distinction. Later 
he was elected to the United States Senate. On the formation of the Southern 
Confederacy he was elected president, and he filled this office till the end of 
the Civil War. He died in Mississippi in 1889. 

2 The assurance that Fort Sumter would be evacuated was given by Mr. 
Seward to Judge Campbell, who conveyed the information to the commission- 
ers. See "Three Decades of Federal Legislation," by S. S. Cox, pp. 147, 148. 



1 92 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

speedily given up. But this was not clone ; and after some 
delay Governor Pickens of South Carolina was notified 
from Washington that the fort would be reenforced 
"peaceably if permitted, forcibly if necessary," by a fleet 
that was then on its way. 

Capture of Fort Sumter. — The Confederate govern- 
ment, accepting the message to Governor Pickens as a 
declaration of war, ordered General Beauregard, who was 
in command of the Southern troops at Charleston, to de- 
mand the surrender of Fort Sumter. Major Anderson, 
the commander of the Federal garrison, refused to evacu- 






Fort Sumter 

ate the fort; and thereupon Beauregard bombarded it and 
captured it on April 14, 1861. 

War now Inevitable. — The crisis had at last come. The 
Confederates held that the North had acted in regard to 
Fort Sumter so as to render the use of force by the South 
necessary, and was for this reason the real aggressor, 
while the North contended that the South had by firing on 
the fort begun the war. Thus each section charged the 
other with bringing on the conflict. The cotton states had 
already made some preparations for war ; and now all over 
the South the cry, " To arms ! To arms ! " was heard. The 
people of the North on their part came strongly to the sup- 
port of the new Republican administration, and responded 




Jefferson Davis 



194 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

with alacrity to a call made by President Lincoln, during 
the excitement following the bombardment, for seventy- 
five thousand troops to reestablish the Federal authority 
in the Southern states. 

Secession of Virginia. — When President Lincoln called 
for troops, Virginia had to decide whether she would re- 
main in the Union or join the Southern Confederacy. Up 
to this time she had steadily refused to secede. A conven- 
tion, which had been called in view of the impending crisis, 
had refused to pass an ordinance of secession by a vote of 
eighty-nine to forty-five ; but two days after Lincoln called 
for troops, this same convention passed the ordinance by a 
vote of eighty-eight to fifty-five. When the ordinance was 
submitted to the people, it was ratified by a large majority, 
and the state took her place in the Southern Confederacy. 

Her Heroic Action. — This was Virginia's decision when 
called upon to help make war upon the states further south. 
She took her action deliberately, well knowing that she 
would be attacked on the north, east, and west, and would 
be the battlefield of a war which, if long continued, would 
be most destructive to her prosperity, let the end be what 
it might. There is recorded in history no greater act of 
self-sacrifice than that of Virginia in withdrawing from 
a Union she did not wish to leave, in order to help other 
states defend what she had always maintained was her 
right and theirs. 

Actions of Other States. — Virginia's example in leaving 
the Union was followed by Arkansas, Tennessee, and 
North Carolina. Kentucky wished to remain neutral, but 
was overrun by Federal troops. So altogether eleven states 
seceded and twenty-three remained in the Union. 

Return of Virginians. — In the Federal army and navy 
there were a number of distinguished Virginia officers, 



THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR 



195 




who, at the opening of the war, had to determine to which 
side they should render allegiance. There were but few 
who did not decide that 
after their state had left 
the Union they no longer 
owed fealty to the United 
States. So there was a 
return of Virginians to de- 
fend their native land. 
Some had already distin- 
guished themselves in the 
service of the United 
States, but were destined 
to win yet greater military 
renown in the Civil War. 

Distinguished Leaders 
who came to Virginia. — 
Among those who resigned 
commissions in the United States army were General 
Albert Sidney Johnston, 1 the commander of the military 
district of the Pacific, and that able and cautious soldier, 
General Joseph E. Johnston, 2 who became the first com- 

1 Albert Sidney Johnston (1803-1862) was born in Kentucky, but was of 
New England descent. In his early life, he was described as " a handsome, 
proud, manly, earnest, and self-reliant boy." He was educated at West Point, 
where he showed great talent for mathematics. He served with distinction 
in the Black Hawk war and in the Texas war for independence. When Gen- 
eral Johnston reached Richmond, he was assigned by President Davis to the 
command of the Confederate forces in the West. In 1862, he was wounded 
in the battle of Shiloh and bled to death upon the field. In his death the 
Confederacy sustained a severe loss. He was a man of courteous manners 
and of noble and commanding appearance. 

2 Joseph E. Johnston (1807-1891), born in Prince Edward County, Va., 
was the youngest son of Major Peter Johnston of the Revolution. He 
was educated at West Point, and served with distinction in the Mexican 



Joseph E. Johnston 



196 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

mander of the Confederate army in Virginia. But the 
greatest of all the men who came to the help of Virginia 
in her hour of need was Colonel Robert E. Lee, a son of 
Light Horse Harry Lee of Revolutionary fame. In re- 
signing his commission in the United States army, he 
used the often-quoted expression, " Save in the defense 
of my native state, I never desire again to draw my 
sword." In speaking of his decision in a letter, written 
to his sister, he says, " With all my devotion to the Union 
and the feeling of loyalty and duty as an American citizen, 
I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my 
hand against my relatives, my children, my home." When 
Colonel Lee reached Richmond, he was at once made com- 
mander of the Virginia forces. 

Military Ardor. — All through the part of Virginia east 
of the Alleghany Mountains the people gave themselves up 
to preparations for war. Everywhere military companies 
were organized and equipped. Drill masters soon became 
so much in demand that Major Thomas J. Jackson, a pro- 
fessor in the Virginia Military Institute, was ordered to 
bring a number of cadets to Richmond to assist in the 
work of drilling recruits at Camp Lee. Jackson never 
returned to his quiet professorial duties. He was appointed 
a colonel of volunteers by the governor of Virginia and 
soon after entered upon a career of fame second only to 
that of General Lee. 

Virginia Dismembered. — Western Virginia was opposed 
to leaving the Union, and refused to be bound by the action 

War. In the early part of the Civil War he was commander of all the Con- 
federate forces in Virginia. In the battle of Seven Pines he was severely 
wounded; and, when he reported for duty again, he was put in command 
of the military district of Tennessee. He continued to serve the Confederacy 
in the Southern campaigns till the close of the war. lie is justly regarded 
as one of the ablest generals on the Confederate side. 



THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR 1 97 

of the convention that passed the ordinance of secession. 
So the people of this section in a convention held on June 
ii, 1 86 1, organized a government of their own; and at a 
later period this part of the Old Dominion was admitted 
by Congress into the Union as a separate state, though 
a strained interpretation 1 had to be put upon the Constitu- 
tion to bring this about. Thus the Virginia that took part 
in the War of Secession was in area about the same as the 
Virginia that helped to carry on the Revolution. 

QUESTIONS 

1. Who was elected President by the Republican party in i860? 

2. Give the leading facts of his life, and state the policy of his party. 

3. After his election, what did the cotton states decide to do? 

4. What union did they form, and whom did they elect president? 

5. Give the leading facts in the life of Jefferson Davis. 

6. Why did Virginia earnestly desire peace, and what action did she 

take to bring it about? 

7. For what purpose did the Confederate government send commis- 

sioners to Washington after Lincoln's inauguration ? 

8. What particular request did they make? Was it granted ? 

9. What notification was sent to Governor Pickens in regard to Fort 

Sumter? 

10. How did the Confederate government accept this notification, and 

what happened? 

1 1 . On what grounds did each section charge the other with beginning 

the war? 

12. Why did Lincoln issue a call for seventy-five thousand troops? 

13. Why did Virginia secede? 

1 The government organized by the people of West Virginia had, when it 
was first formed, jurisdiction over only 282,000 of the 1,600,000 inhabitants 
of the state. But those who adhered to it claimed that it was the true and 
lawful government of Virginia; and their legislature authorized the formation 
of a new state. This action the Federal government accepted as representing 
the consent of Virginia to the division of her territory; and so West Virginia 
was admitted as a separate state. 
virg. hist. — 13 



I98 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

14. What is said of her heroic action in so doing? 

15. Name the states that followed her example. 

16. What is said of the return of Virginians ? 

17. What distinguished generals of the Federal army came to Virginia? 

18. Give the leading facts in the life of Albert Sidney Johnston. 

19. Of Joseph E. Johnston. 

20. What did Robert E. Lee say on resigning his commission in the 

Federal army? 

21. Describe the military ardor throughout Virginia. 

22. When and why was the state of West Virginia formed? 



CHAPTER XXIV 

THE FIRST MOVEMENT AGAINST RICHMOND 

Events that will be Recorded. — The military operations 
in the Civil War were on a very extensive scale. The 
struggle was prosecuted vigorously on both sides, not only 
in Virginia, but also in the South and West. In this short 
history, only a brief account of the leading military opera- 
tions that took place in Virginia can be given. 

"On to Richmond !" — On May 21, the capital of the 
Southern Confederacy was moved from Montgomery, Ala- 
bama, to Richmond ; and at once in the North the cry 
of " On to Richmond ! " was raised. The formation of 
Federal armies for the invasion of Virginia went on at 
different points. One gathered at Washington under 
General Scott, with General McDowell in immediate com- 
mand, a second at Chambersburg under General Patterson, 
a third in West Virginia under General McClellan, and 
a fourth at Fortress Monroe under General Butler. To 
capture Richmond and bring the war to a speedy end 
was the plan of the Federals. 

Preparations for Defense. — The Confederates collected 
troops for the protection of Virginia, and able plans for 
defense were adopted. General Beauregard 1 organized an 

1 Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard (1818-1893) was born in Louisiana. 
He was the son of a wealthy cotton planter, and was of French extraction. He 
was lively in temperament, possessed courteous manners, and showed good 
breeding and education. He was so fortunate in his military operations that 
the Richmond Examiner gave him the title " Beauregard Felix." 

199 



200 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

army at Manassas Junction to guard the direct approach 
from Washington to Richmond ; General Joseph E. John- 
ston a second at Harper's Ferry to cover the Shenandoah 
valley ; Generals Huger and Magruder a third to bar the 
route to Richmond by way of the peninsula between the 
James and the York rivers, while General Garnett was 
sent with troops to West Virginia to operate against the 
Federals in that part of the state. 

Opening of Hostilities in Virginia. — The first invasion of 
the state occurred on May 24, 1861, when Federal troops 
took possession of Alexandria, where there were a number 
of strong secessionists. For some days before the occupa- 
tion, a Confederate flag flying from the top of a hotel had 
been plainly seen from the President's house in Wash- 
ington. This, Colonel Ellsworth of the Fire Zouave Regi- 
ment, U. S. A., hastened to take down with his own hand. 
But as he descended from the top of the building, holding 
the flag, he was shot dead by the owner, Mr. Jackson, who 
was himself killed a moment later by Ellsworth's soldiers. 
This was the first bloodshed in Virginia, and the next took 
place in a skirmish at Big Bethel, near Fortress Monroe, 
on June 10, when fourteen hundred Confederates under 
General John B. Magruder defeated three thousand Fed- 
erals, belonging to the army of General Butler. These 
events mark the opening of the great struggle that took 
place in Virginia. 

Battle of Manassas. — But the first important battle of 
the war took place at Manassas, where an army of thirty 
thousand Federals under General McDowell, which had 
set out from Washington for Richmond, encountered the 
Confederate army under General Beauregard. As the left 
wing of the Federal army attempted to cross Bull Run, 
a little stream that flows along the plains of Manassas, a 



THE FIRST MOVEMENT AGAINST RICHMOND 



20I 



skirmish occurred in which the Federals were driven back. 
This was but the forerunner of a general engagement 
which took place on July 21, 1861. In this battle success 
was at first with the Federals. Their right wing drove 
back the left wing of the Confederates, which rendered 




Stonewall Jackson in the Battle of Manassas 

the situation full of peril. Seeing this General Bee of 
South Carolina rushed up to General Thomas J. Jackson, 1 

1 Thomas Jonathan Jackson (1824- 1863), was born at Clarksburg, Va. His 
father died when he was but three years old. When he grew up he se- 
cured an appointment to the United States Military Academy, where he gradu- 
ated in 1846. In the Mexican War he showed such daring and bravery 
in the assault on the castle of Chapultepec that he was highly praised by his 
superior officers. In 185 1, he resigned from the army to accept a professorship 
in the Virginia Military Academy. In July, 1861, he was made a brigadier 
general in the Confederate army. He possessed a very strong individuality, 



202 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

and exclaimed, " General, they are beating us back ! " " Sir, 
we will give them the bayonet," was Jackson's prompt 
reply. Bee went back to his men and rallied them, saying, 
" Look, there is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let 
us determine to die here, and we will conquer." From that 
day General Jackson became known to fame as Stonewall 
Jackson. 

The Confederates rallied after the day seemed about 
lost, and checked the advance of the Federals till Kirby 
Smith, who had been sent by General Johnston from the 
Valley, arrived with reinforcements which made Beau- 
regard's army nearly equal in numbers to McDowell's. 
Then the tide of battle turned, and the Federals began a 
retreat which ended in a rout and a panic. The soldiers 
threw away their arms and fled toward Washington. 

The Victory not Followed up. — The Confederates did 
not follow up their great victory. Indeed, they did not 
realize its completeness till the day after the battle. Had 
they pushed on with all speed after the terror-stricken 
Federals, they might perhaps have followed them over the 
bridge across the Potomac, for the destruction of which no 
preparations had been made, and taken possession of 
Washington. In not doing this, they lost an opportunity 
which never came to them again. 

Situation at the End of 1861. — As the year drew to a 
close, it became evident that the war would not end in a 
short time as many had supposed. Both sides now pre- 

and was one of the most remarkable men that fought on the Southern side. 
In his short but brilliant military career he won the respect ami admiration of 
friends and foes aliUe. He was a man of deep moral earnestness and intense 
convictions, his motto being " Do your duty and leave the rest to Providence." 
It was said that he never entered upon a battle without first kneeling to invoke 
the aid and guidance of Almighty God. 



THE FIRST MOVEMENT AGAINST RICHMOND 



203 



pared for a prolonged contest. The Federal army at 
Washington, which was known as the Army of the Poto- 
mac, was greatly increased. General George B. McClellan 
was made its commander in place of General Scott ; and 
during the autumn and winter his forces numbering nearly 
two hundred thousand lay around Washington. He was 
confronted by the Army of Northern Virginia about sixty 
thousand strong under General Joseph E. Johnston. After 
Manassas the Confeder- 
ates had advanced as far 
as Fairfax Courthouse, 
and the flags at their 
outposts were visible in 
Washington. 

Resources of the Two 
Sections. — A brief com- 
parison of the resources 
of the two sections is 
necessary to show the un- 
equal character of the 
struggle in which the 
South was engaged. In 




Gen. George B. McClellan 



round numbers the states 
that remained in the 
Union had a population of twenty-three millions, while 
the territory of the Confederacy contained only nine 
millions, of which three and a half millions were negroes. 
So the North could put in the field more than three times 
as many soldiers as the South. Besides this, the North 
had factories of all kinds, and could manufacture all the 
war supplies, arms, and clothes that the soldiers would need. 
The South was almost without factories ; and soon after 
the opening of hostilities, her ports were blockaded by the 



204 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

North. Thus all help from abroad was cut off. But the 
victory at Manassas made the South believe that, in spite 
of her inferior resources, success would crown her arms. 
She had faith in her own prowess ; and she hoped too that 
she would not have to contend against the United States 
unaided. England and France had promptly accorded her 
belligerent rights; and it seemed probable, early in the 
war, that these powers might even acknowledge her inde- 
pendence. 

QUESTIONS 

1. What action on the part of the Confederacy caused the cry of "On 

to Richmond! 11 to be raised by the North? 

2. What preparations did the Federals make to invade Virginia? 

3. How did the Confederates prepare to defend the state? 

4. What incident caused the first bloodshed on her soil? 

5. When and where did the first skirmish take place? 

6. Give an account of the battle of Manassas. 

7. How did Jackson receive the name of Stonewall? 

8. Give the leading facts in the life of Stonewall Jackson. 

9. What was the result of the battle of Manassas ? 

10. Had the Confederates followed up this victory, what might have 

been the result? 

11. What was the condition of the two armies at the end of 1861 ? 

12. Compare the resources of the two sections. 



CHAPTER XXV 

CAMPAIGNS OF 1862 

The Virginia. — After the secession of Virginia, the 
Federal navy yard at Norfolk fell into the hands of the 
Confederates. Before the Federals left it, however, they 
burned and sunk a number of vessels. Among these was 
a frigate, called the Merrimac, which was only partly 
destroyed. This the Confederates raised and covered 
heavily with iron, thus converting the wooden ship into a 
most formidable ironclad, the first that was ever made. 
On March 8, 1862, just before the land campaign opened, 
this strange-looking craft, which had been renamed Vir- 
ginia, steamed into Hampton Roads and attacked the 
Federal fleet. The heaviest guns were brought to bear 
upon her, but they produced no impression whatever on 
her iron sides. She speedily sunk the Cumberland and 
the Congress, while the Minnesota, in trying to escape, 
ran aground. The rest of the fleet scattered. 

Battle between the Virginia and the Monitor. — The 
Virginia, having won a complete triumph, went back 
to Norfolk when night came on, returning the next day 
to renew her attack on the Minnesota. But this time 
she was met by a formidable enemy that had arrived 
in the night. This was Ericsson's Monitor, an ironclad 
gunboat that looked like " a cheese box on a raft." A 
fierce engagement took place between the ironclads, but 
neither could seriously damage the other, and so the bat- 

205 



206 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 





The Cumberland and the Virginia 



tie was a drawn one. The appearance of the Monitor, 
however, was most opportune for the Federal cause ; for 
had the Virginia been unopposed for a short time, she 
might have ascended the Potomac and destroyed Wash- 
ington. 

A little later the Confederates evacuated Norfolk ; and 
the Virginia was blown up to keep her from falling into 
the hands of the Federals. Thus her career came to an 
end. The battle between the Virginia and the Monitor 
showed that in the future naval conflicts would be decided 
by ironclads, and it caused all the great powers to recon- 
struct their navies, thus producing a revolution in naval 
warfare. 

Plan of the Peninsular Campaign. — When the spring 
opened, instead of attacking Johnston where he was, 
McClellan decided to transport his army by water to the 



CAMPAIGNS OF 1862 20/ 

peninsula between the James and the York rivers, and to 
approach Richmond from that direction. He was to be 
supported by reenforcements that were to proceed by 
land from Washington. The Confederates on their part 
arranged to have General Johnston march down from 
Manassas to oppose McClellan. 

Jackson's Valley Campaign. — But Stonewall Jackson 
was left in the Valley of Virginia, where he carried on a 
campaign which for daring and brilliancy is surpassed by 
none recorded in history. He proved himself so active 
that he completely disarranged the Federal plans. His 
presence in the Valley put Washington in danger ; and the 
Lincoln government decided that it was necessary to dis- 
lodge him or capture him before reenforcements could be 
sent to McClellan. But victory remained with Jackson. 
In three months — from the last of March to the last of 
June — he defeated and scattered four Federal armies under 
Milroy, Fremont, Banks, and Shields, winning every battle 
except one at Kernstown. With an army that never num- 
bered more than seventeen thousand, he threw the whole 
North into a panic, and kept sixty thousand men from 
joining McClellan down on the peninsula. All this he 
accomplished with a total loss of less than two thousand. 
Jackson's exploits in this campaign won for him the ad- 
miration not only of America, but also of Europe. 

Battle of Seven Pines. — While Jackson was operating 
in the Valley, McClellan started on his peninsular campaign. 
With a magnificent army of one hundred and ten thousand, 
a large number of transports, men-of-war, and vessels loaded 
with supplies, he landed at Old Point. General Magruder, 
with an army of eleven thousand, delayed his progress till 
Johnston came down from Manassas and threw his army 
between McClellan and Richmond. On May 31, 1862, at 



2o8 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

Seven Pines, while the two wings of the Federal army 
were separated by the Chickahominy River, Johnston 
attacked McClellan, and defeating the left wing of his 
army, drove it back with heavy loss. The right wing of 
the Federal army held its ground, and this rendered the 
battle indecisive ; but McClellan's advance was for the 
time stopped. In this engagement, Johnston was severely 









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Mr 










L-28' 




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te^f " ^m F 


wmjr* I 





The Seven Days' Battles 

wounded ; and he was succeeded by General Lee, who 
remained at the head of the Army of Northern Virginia 
till the end of the war. 

The Seven Days' Battles. — General Lee called Jackson 
and his men who were flushed with their victories in the 
Valley to his aid, and from June 26 to July 2 fought the 
series of battles known as the Seven Days' Battles, in 
which he struck McClellan blow after blow. As a result 
of these engagements, the Federal commander was forced 



CAMPAIGNS OF 1862 209 

to withdraw his army from the vicinity of Richmond to 
the James River. The last of these battles was fought at 
Malvern Hill, where McClellan had taken a strong posi- 
tion. Here on July 1, the Confederates rashly attacked 
him, and were repulsed with heavy loss. They did not 
retire, however, when night came on, but remained close 
to the Federal fortifications, intending to renew the battle 
in the morning ; but two hours after the Confederates had 
withdrawn from the attack, the Federals, under cover of 
darkness, made a hasty retreat to Harrison Landing, where 
the presence of their fleet rendered them safe from attack. 
In this campaign Lee's effective strength was eighty thou- 
sand, and McClellan's one hundred and five thousand. 
The result was a complete Confederate triumph. Rich- 
mond was saved and the North discouraged. 

Second Manassas. — The peninsular campaign having 
proved a failure, the Federal army was transferred to 
Acquia Creek, and joined with the army in front of Wash- 
ington. General Pope was put in command of the whole. 
He, when he entered upon his campaign, issued a procla- 
mation in which he announced that success and glory were 
in the front, and that " his headquarters would be in the 
saddle." He did not, however, make much progress in his 
effort to capture Richmond. At Manassas, on August 29- 
30, he was defeated by Lee, and his army retreated in con- 
fusion to the defenses of Washington. The unfortunate 
Federal general was, after his defeat, sent off on an expe- 
dition against the Indians, and McClellan was restored to 
the command of the Federal army. 

Invasion of Maryland. — While McClellan was engaged 
in reorganizing his army, Lee moved north into Maryland. 
When he reached Frederick, he divided his army and sent 
Jackson back to capture Harper's Ferry, which was strongly 



210 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

garrisoned by the Federals. Unfortunately, a lost copy of 
Lee's orders, directing the movements of the Confederates 
on the Maryland campaign, fell into McClellan's hands, 
who, with the information he thus obtained, moved rapidly 
in the hope that he could crush Lee's forces while they 
were divided. But Jackson promptly captured Harper's 




Harper's Ferry 



Ferry and rejoined General Lee before McClellan could 
carry out his plan. 

Battle of Sharpsburg. — At Sharpsburg, on September 
17, 1862, the Confederate army, numbering less than forty 
thousand, was attacked by McClellan with eighty-seven 
thousand men. The Confederates fought magnificently, 
and throughout the entire day repelled every attack made 
upon them. They maintained a defiant front all the next 



CAMPAIGNS OF 1862 



211 



day, but neither side renewed the conflict, and when night 
came General Lee recrossed the Potomac into Virginia. 
Some Federal brigades followed the Confederates across 
the river, but these were attacked by General A. P. Hill, 1 
who commanded Lee's rear guard, and driven back. 
Sharpsburg, or Antietam, as the engagement is named by 

Northern writers, is frequently . ., 

called a drawn battle, but it had j& m^. 

the effect of bringing the Con- 
federate invasion of Maryland 
to an end, and of relieving the 
Federal authorities of the fears 
they entertained for the safety 
of Baltimore and Washington. 
The Confederates had crossed 
the Potomac singing " Maryland, 
my Maryland," and Lee ex- 
pected that the Marylanders 



would come to him in large 




A. P. Hi! 



numbers, but in this he was 

disappointed, for but few recruits joined his standard. 

Distinguished Englishmen Visit Lee. — General Lee re- 
mained for a few days in the neighborhood of Shepherds- 
town, and then took a position near Winchester, where he 
allowed his war-worn army to rest for a few weeks. Dur- 
ing this period several distinguished British officers, among 
whom was Lord Wolseley, visited him at his headquarters. 

1 Ambrose Powell Hill (1825- 1865) was born in Culpeper County, Va. 
He descended from a long line of patriotic ancestors. He was educated at 
West Point, and served in the Mexican War. At the breaking out of the Civil 
War he was chosen colonel of a Virginia regiment, and then was made briga- 
dier general. In 1863, he was appointed lieutenant general. In many of the 
operations of the war he bore a gallant and conspicuous part. He was shot 
through the heart on April 2, 1865, during the final attack on Petersburg. 



212 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

Battle of Fredericksburg. — Toward the end of October, 
General McClellan crossed the Potomac and began an- 
other invasion of Virginia. But he had not given satisfac- 
tion to the government at Washington, and so he was retired 
and General Burnside succeeded him. The new commander, 
at the head of one hundred and thirteen thousand men, made 
his advance toward Richmond by way of Fredericksburg, 
where he encountered Lee's army, numbering sixty-five 
thousand. On December 13 he attacked the Confeder- 
ates and sustained a crushing defeat. In the " Horror of 
Fredericksburg," as the battle was called, the Federals lost 
nearly thirteen thousand and the Confederates about five 
thousand men. Burnside was now replaced by General 
Hooker, " Fighting Joe Hooker" he was called, and the 
Federals went into winter quarters at Falmouth. 

QUESTIONS 

1 . Give the early history of the ironclad Virginia. 

2. Describe the battle between the Virginia and the Monitor. 

3. What was the fate of the Virginia? 

4. What radical change in the navies of the world did this battle 

produce ? 

5. Give the plan of the Peninsular Campaign. 

6. Give an account of Jackson's Valley Campaign. 

7. How did Johnston check McClellan's advance at Seven Pines? 

8. Who succeeded Johnston after this battle? 

9. Describe the Seven Days 1 Battles. 

10. What was the effective strength of the two armies? 

1 1. What was the result of this campaign? 

12. What proclamation did General Pope make? 

13. What was the result of the second battle of Manassas? 

14. What state did Lee now invade? 

15. Describe the battle of Sharpsburg, and give its result. 

16. Who visited Lee while his army was encamped near Winchester? 

17. Describe the battle of Fredericksburg. 



CAMPAIGNS OF 1862 21 3 



REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1. What two theories were held in regard to the Constitution? 

2. From what section did the first threats of secession come? 

3. How did Virginia and the South look upon the Union? 

4. How did the North and West regard it? 

5. Give the reasons that made the South desire to leave the Union. 

6. Who was elected President in i860, and what followed his election? 

7. What efforts did Virginia make for peace? 

8. What request did the Confederate States make of the Federal gov- 

ernment ? 

9. Give an account of the capture of Fort Sumter, and of the effect it 

had in the North and South. 

10. What caused Virginia to secede, and what states followed her 

example ? 

1 1 . Name some of the distinguished officers who resigned their com- 

missions and came to Virginia. , 

12. What led to the formation of West Virginia? 

13. What plans did the Federals make for invading Virginia, and how 

did the Confederates prepare to defend her? 

14. Give an account of the opening of hostilities in Virginia. 

15. Describe the battle of Manassas. 

16. What was the situation in 1861, and how did the North and South 



compare in resources 



17. Describe the battle between the Virginia and the Monitor. 

18. Give an account of Jackson's Valley Campaign. 

19. Tell of the battle of Seven Pines. 

20. Describe the Seven Days' Battles. 

21 . Tell of the second battle of Manassas. 

22. What is said of Lee's invasion of Maryland? 

23. Describe the battle of Sharpsburg or Antietam. 

24. Give an account of the battle of Fredericksburg. 



VIRG. HIST. — 14 



CHAPTER XXVI 



FROM CHANCELLORSVILLE TO GETTYSBURG 



Chancellorsville. — Not till April, 1863, was General 
Hooker ready to begin his campaign. Then he put in 

motion his army, num- 
bering one hundred and 
thirty-two thousand men, 
" the finest army on the 
planet," he called it. He 
crossed the Rappahan- 
nock about twenty-five 
miles above Fredericks- 
burg. Lee opposed him 
with sixty thousand men, 
and the two armies met 
at Chancellorsville on the 
2nd of May. Jackson 
marched rapidly across 
the front of the Federal 
army, and falling unexpectedly upon Hooker's right wing, 
drove it back in utter rout to Chancellorsville. The next 
day Lee forced Hooker back over the Rappahannock, and 
then turning on General Sedgwick, who w T ith twenty-five 
thousand men had captured Marye's Heights, drove him 
likewise across the river. The result of the operations 
of four days from May 2 to May 5 was a total defeat of 
the Federal army, with a loss of seventeen thousand to 
twelve thousand of the Confederates. 

214 




Stonewall Jackson 



FROM CHANCELLORSVILLE TO GETTYSBURG 



215 



Death of Stonewall Jackson. — But Chancellorsville was 
a dearly won victory to the Confederates, for on May 2, 
Stonewall Jackson, at the moment of victory, was acci- 
dentally shot by his own men as he returned from a 
reconnoissance. His injuries were so serious as to render 
the amputation of his arm necessary. After this had been 
done, pneumonia set in, and he died on May 10. " Let us 
cross over the river and rest in the shade of the trees," 
were the last words of this renowned soldier. " I have 
lost my right arm ! " General Lee exclaimed, when he 
learned that Jackson was dead. For daring, swiftness 
in execution, untiring energy, and moral influence, Jack- 
son stood preeminent. Never for a moment did he doubt 
that the Southern cause was righteous, or lose faith 
in its ultimate triumph. 
In his death the Confed- 
erates sustained an irrep- 
arable loss. His place 
could not be supplied. 
There was but one Stone- 
wall J-ackson. 

Brandy Station. — When 
Lee's army began to move 
after the battle of Chan- 
cellorsville, Hooker sent 
his cavalry across the Rap- 
pahannock River to pene- 
trate the designs of the 
Confederates. At Brandy 

J J. E. B. Stuart 

Station, where the Feder- 
als encountered General Stuart, 1 the fiercest cavalry battle 

1 James E. B. Stuart (1832-1864), was born in Virginia and served in the 
United States army on the frontier righting Indians, where he became noted 




2l6 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

of the whole war took place. Each side was about ten 
thousand strong. The engagement lasted all day, but 
ended in the defeat of the Federals, who, after sustaining 
a heavy loss, were forced to recross the river. 

Battle of Gettysburg. — After the victory at Chancellors- 
ville, Lee assumed the offensive and invaded Pennsylvania 
with an army seventy thousand strong. The Federal 
army, numbering one hundred and two thousand, under a 
new commander, General Meade, followed the Confed- 
erates. The foremost divisions of the opposing forces 
came together at Gettysburg. The Federals secured a 
position on some hills called Cemetery Ridge, where they 
fortified themselves strongly. Here General Lee attacked 
them, and for three days (July 1-3) a fierce battle raged. 
The turning point came on the third day when three Con- 
federate divisions, Pickett's, Pettigrew's, and Pender's, 
numbering fifteen thousand in all, made a desperate charge 
on the Federal left center under a fire more severe than 
that which opened on the Old Guard at Waterloo. The 
divisions of Pettigrew and Pender recoiled under the terri- 
ble cannonade to which they were subjected ; but Pickett's 
division, composed mostly of Virginians, kept on as steadily 
as men on parade, broke through the Federal lines and 
planted their colors within them. Had they been properly 
supported, they would have won a decisive victory. But 
no support came, and the gallant division, after holding 
on alone for ten minutes, was cut to pieces and forced to 
retire, after having made a charge that surpassed that of 
the famous Light Brigade at Balaklava. Both armies 

for his daring. In 1861 he was appointed by Lincoln a captain in the United 
States cavalry, but he declined the appointment to enter the Confederate ser- 
vice. He was the most dashing officer in the Confederate cavalry. He fell at 
Yellow Tavern, May, 1864. 



FROM CIIAXCELLORSVILLE TO GETTYSBURG 21? 

suffered severely, the Confederate loss being twenty thou- 
sand and the Federal twenty-three thousand men. Gen- 
eral Lee, having failed in his attempt to drive the Federals 
from their fortified heights, took a position a few miles 
from Meade's army, where he remained for ten days, and 
then retired across the Potomac into Virginia. 

The Turning Point in the War.— Gettysburg, though not 
a decisive victory like Waterloo, marks the turning point 
in the Civil War. Had Lee been able to overthrow 
the Federal army on that hard-fought field, it might 
have brought peace. Gregg, the English historian, says 
he was assured on what seemed to be sufficient authority, 
that if Lee had been victorious at Gettysburg, the govern- 
ment of England was prepared to join with France in 
recognizing the Confederate States as an independent 
power. There was now, however, but little hope of foreign 
intervention. Serious disasters had already befallen the 
Confederate armies in the South and West. The day after 
Gettysburg the fall of Vicksburg gave the Federals con- 
trol of the Mississippi River, and by the end of the year, 
1863, much of the territory of the Confederacy had fallen 
into the hands of the Federals. Still there was hope of 
ultimate success as long as the Army of Northern Vir- 
ginia was in the field. By this time Lee had become the 
idol of the South. He had won the confidence and love 
of the people, and to him and his army they looked for 
deliverance. 

QUESTIONS 

1 . Describe the battle of Chancellorsville. 

2. Why was it a dearly won victory for the Confederates? 

3. Give an account of the death of Stonewall Jackson. 

4. What did General Lee exclaim on hearing of it? 

5. What is said of Jackson? 



2l8 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

6. Who was J. E. B. Stuart, and what fierce cavalry battle did he win? 

7. What Northern state did Lee invade after the battle of Chan- 

cellorsville? 

8. By whom was he followed, and what was the relative strength of 

the two armies? 

9. Describe the battle of Gettysburg. 

10. What is said of Pickett's division at Gettysburg? 

1 1 . What was the result of this battle? 

12. Why is Gettysburg regarded as the turning point of the war? 

13. What disasters had befallen the Confederacy in the South and West? 

14. To whom did the South look for ultimate success? 



CHAPTER XXVII 

LEE AND GRANT 

The Raid of Kilpatrick and Dahlgren. — In March 1864, 
the Federal authorities dispatched General Kilpatrick with 
four thousand cavalry on a raid around Lee's lines, the 
object of which was to capture Richmond by a dash, and 
to release the prisoners confined there. Kilpatrick planned 
to make his attack from the north, and he sent Colonel 
Ulric Dahlgren with a detachment of his troops to ap- 
proach the city from the south. But the expedition came 
to nothing. Dahlgren 1 was killed by the Confederates, 
and his command scattered, while Kilpatrick was forced 
to retreat. This bold attempt was made just before the 
opening of the spring campaign, in which Virginia was 
destined to become the battle ground of one of the most 
remarkable series of engagements recorded in history. 

General Grant. 2 — During the first years of the war Gen- 
eral Ulysses S. Grant, a native of Illinois, rose to distinc- 

1 Upon Dahlgren's person orders instructing him to kill President Davis and 
to burn Richmond were found. These were photographed, and General Lee 
sent copies to General Meade, who in reply stated that no such orders had 
been given to Dahlgren. Admiral Dahlgren, in speaking of the occurrence 
says that, in the orders, his son's name was incorrectly spelled, and his expla- 
nation of the matter is that the orders were forgeries. 

2 Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), was born in Ohio, and descended from 
Scotch ancestry. He graduated at West Point, and served in the Mexican War, 
where he won promotion for gallant conduct. When this war ended, Grant 
retired to private life. At the breaking out of the Civil War, he raised a com- 
pany of volunteers, and entered the Union service. In August, 1861, he was 

219 



220 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

tion in the operations that were carried on in the West 
and South. He was noted for his great ability to handle 
armies under difficult circumstances, and for the energy 
with which he threw himself into the contest. In March, 
1864, he was put in command of all the forces of the 
United States, and took charge in person of the military 
operations in Virginia. 

The "Hammering Campaign.* ' — Grant became com- 
mander in chief of the Federal army at a time when the 
strength of the South was nearly exhausted. Realizing 
this, he decided to adopt the method of continuously ham- 
mering at the Confederates and their resources till the 
South should be compelled to submit. Thus his policy 
was to trust to force rather than to strategy. The Ham- 
mering campaign for Virginia, planned by Grant, was very 
extensive. The Army of the Potomac was to advance 
from the north on Richmond. General Butler was to 
move up the James with a fleet and some thirty-five 
thousand men, capture Petersburg, and attack Richmond 
from the south, while Generals Crook and Sigel were to 
operate in the Valley, and, after taking Staunton and 
Lynchburg, to attack the Confederates in the rear. The 
movements of the Army of the Potomac General Grant 
directed himself, though General Meade was left in imme- 
diate command. 

Battles of the Wilderness. — When the campaign opened, 
the Army of the Potomac numbered one hundred and 

made a brigadier general. He won his great reputation as the successful leader 
of the Federal armies. After the war, he was elected by the Republican party 
President of the United States, and filled this high office at a time when strength 
of character was much needed in solving the difficult problems of Reconstruc- 
tion. At the close of his second term, he made a tour around the world; 
and, by the governments of foreign countries, he was everywhere treated with 
the highest honor. 




U. S. Grant 



222 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

eighteen thousand, and it was opposed by General Lee 
with about sixty-four thousand, according to the highest 
estimates. Grant crossed the Rapidan on his march 
southward, and entered a region of country covered with 
scraggy oak and pine trees and full of tangled under- 
brush, known as the Wilderness. Here, not far from 
Chancellorsville, the hostile armies came into collision, 
and for five days a terrible contest went on ; but Grant 
was unable to drive Lee back. By moving to the left, 
however, he reached Spottsylvania Courthouse where 
much heavy fighting took place. A flank movement 
brought Grant to Cold Harbor, where, early in June, in 
attempting to carry the Confederate works by assault, he 
lost thirteen thousand men in a half hour, and his men 
refused to renew the attack. Grant again moved to the 
left and crossed the James, having resolved to lay siege to 
Petersburg. 

Lee's Generalship. — General Lee's management of this 
campaign alone would have rendered him famous. In the 
long series of engagements that took place from the Wil- 
derness to the James, he had defeated his powerful an- 
tagonist again and again, and inflicted on him a loss that 
exceeded the total number of his own forces. Not only did 
he do this, but in spite of all the difficulties that sur- 
rounded him, he succeeded in keeping the expeditions that 
were to cooperate with the Army of the Potomac from 
rendering any very effective aid. The chief results of 
these minor campaigns were as follows. 

Butler Imprisoned. — Butler landed at Bermuda Hun- 
dred, a bottle-shaped piece of land made by a bend in the 
James. This he fortified and made the base of his opera- 
tions. But the Confederates under Beauregard defeated 
him at Drury's Bluff, and forcing him within his de- 




R. E. Lee 



224 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

fenses imprisoned him by building a line of strong fortifi- 
cations across the neck of his bottle, thus for the time 
rendering* him harmless. General Grant said that " his 
army was as completely shut off as if it had been in a 
bottle strongly corked." 

Defeat of Sigel at New Market. — Early in May, General 
Sigel with seven thousand men advanced up the Valley ; 




Cadets at New Market 

but at New Market, General John C. Breckenridge de- 
feated him and forced him to retreat. Just before the 
battle, a battalion of cadets from the Virginia Military 
Institute, two hundred and thirty strong, came under the 
command of Colonel Ship to aid the Confederates in driv- 
ing Sigel back, and in the engagement behaved with dis- 
tinguished gallantry. The cadets occupied a position in 
the Confederate line just in front of Sigel's artillery bat- 
tery, which they charged with the steadiness of old veterans 



LEE AND GRANT 225 

and captured, bayoneting some of the cannoneers who 
stood to their guns. When the battle was over, forty-six 
of the brave boys lay upon the field wounded and eight 
were dead. This incident shows that even the boys were 
filled with the determination to fight the war out to its 
bitter end. 

Early defeats Hunter and threatens Washington. — On 
the first of June, 1864, General David Hunter, who after 
the battle of New Market had succeeded Sigel, was com- 
manded by the Federal authorities to begin another cam- 
paign in the Valley, the special object of which was to 
capture Lynchburg. Near Port Republic he defeated 
General W. E. Jones, whom General Lee had ordered from 
southwest Virginia to defend the Valley. After doing this 
he was reenforced by cavalry under Generals Crook and 
Averill, which raised his force to eighteen thousand, and 
now for a time he went his way without serious opposition. 
His march was marked by the most wanton destruction of 
property. At Lexington he burned the Virginia Military 
Institute, the residence of Governor Letcher, and other 
private property. On reaching Lynchburg he encoun- 
tered General Early, 1 whom Lee, after defeating Grant at 
Cold Harbor, had sent with a detachment of troops to de- 
fend the city. Hunter now retreated precipitately towards 
West Virginia. In July, Early marched into Maryland, 
and, though he had but twelve thousand men, he ap- 
proached within cannon shot of Washington, but found 
the city too strongly garrisoned to venture to attack it 
with his small force. Later he made a raid into Pennsyl- 

1 Jubal A. Early was born in Virginia in 1818, graduated at West Point, 
and served in the Mexican War, rising to the rank of colonel. He was among 
the first to volunteer in the service of the Confederacy. After the war he. 
engaged in the practice of law. He died in Lynchburg in 1894. 



226 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

vania and burned Chambersburg in retaliation for Hunter's 
vandalism in the Valley. 

Sheridan's Devastation of the Valley. — Early's operations 
in the Valley proved so troublesome to the Federals that, 
in August, General Grant sent Sheridan with forty thou- 
sand men to dislodge him. After much maneuvering, 
Sheridan finally defeated Early, and then by Grant's 
orders he laid the Valley waste, killing cattle and sheep, 
carrying off horses, and burning barns, mills; farming im- 
plements, grain, and hay. The work of destruction was 
so complete in this most fertile part of Virginia, that 
Sheridan, it is said, asserted that " a crow, flying across 
the Valley, must carry its own rations." 

Siege of Petersburg. — Grant crossed the James the mid- 
dle of June and hoped to capture Petersburg before Lee's 
army could come to its defense. But in this he was disap- 
pointed. The first assaults that were made were repulsed 
by Beauregard's troops, who succeeded in holding the city 
for three days ; and then the torn battle-flags of the Army 
of Northern Virginia were seen floating above the hastily 
constructed fortifications. Lee's army had arrived. On 
the very day that Lee's veterans reached Petersburg, 
Grant made two desperate attempts to take the Confed- 
erate works by storm ; but his troops were driven back 
with a loss of nine thousand. Lee continued to improve 
the defenses of the city till they were impregnable from 
assault. A separate chain of fortifications provided for the 
defense of Richmond ; but General Grant's main efforts 
were directed against Petersburg, as a capture of this city 
would lead to the fall of Richmond. 

Battle of the Crater. — The first attempts to capture 
Petersburg having ended in failure, Grant now tried to 
get possession of the beleaguered city by a novel ex- 



LEE AND GRANT 



227 



pedient. Burnside's Ninth Corps lay intrenched within 
one hundred and fifty yards of an angle in the Confed- 
erate works, which was covered by a fort. Under this 
point General Grant, at a suggestion of Burnside, had a 
mine dug in which was stored eighty hundredweight of gun- 
powder. On July 30 the mine was exploded, blowing the 
fort and its garrison of two hundred and fifty-six men high 




Battle of the Crater 



into the air, and leaving a crater thirty feet deep, sixty feet 
wide, and one hundred and seventy feet long. The Federal 
batteries at once opened on the Confederate works, while 
an assaulting column moved up to storm them. But the 
Confederates speedily regained their self-possession, and 
turned their guns upon the besiegers, who, having rushed 
through the opening, found themselves enfiladed from the 
right and the left by artillery and fusilladed from the front 



228 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

by musketry. The end came when Lee sent General 
Mahone with two brigades of Hill's corps, who drove 
the stormers back and retook the whole line. The crater 
was for the Federals a hideous slaughter pen. Their loss 
was four thousand, and Grant said the affair was a 
"stupendous failure." 

Situation at the End of 1864. — In November, 1864, 
President Lincoln was elected for a second term, which 
showed that the North intended to continue to carry on 
the war vigorously. By the end of the year, the power of 
the Confederacy in the West had been almost entirely 
destroyed. The eleven states she started with had been 
practically reduced to three — Virginia, North Carolina, 
and South Carolina. Sherman had marched through 
Georgia, and was preparing to cross the Carolinas and 
enter Virginia with an army of sixty thousand men. Lee, 
it is true, had defeated Grant again and again ; but his 
victories had been fruitless ; for he had not been able, with 
the slender resources at his command, to destroy the Federal 
army, nor to drive it out of Virginia. The Confederacy 
had about come to the end of her resources. Her money 
was nearly worthless, 1 and her credit was gone. The brave 
men that had fallen in battle she could not replace. The 
soldiers that remained in her armies were veterans that 
could be relied on ; but they were opposed by four times 
as many men on the Federal side. The course of events 

1 Toward the end of the Confederacy, the currency had depreciated to such 
an extent that when a man went to market, it was said, he carried his money 
in a basket and brought what he purchased back in his pocket. In 1865, flour 
was Siooo per barrel, coffee $50 to $60 per pound, black pepper $300 per 
pound, and other things in proportion. For tea raspberry leaves and sassafras 
roots were used, and for sugar sorghum was substituted. In 1864, a coat and 
vest of coarse homespun cost $250, and a lady's dress which was worth before 
the war only $10, could not be purchased for less than $500. 



LEE AND GRANT 229 

had been such as to indicate the speedy collapse of the 
Confederacy from exhaustion ; but neither the South nor 
the North realized how near this was at hand, so wonderful 
had been the defensive warfare waged by General Lee. 

QUESTIONS 

i . Describe the raid of Kilpatrick and Dahlgren. 

2. Who was Ulysses S. Grant, and for what was he noted? 

3. What was Grant's " Hammering Campaign 1 '? 

4. Describe the battles of the Wilderness. Give relative strength of 

the two armies. 

5. What occurred at Cold Harbor? 

6. What is said of Lee's generalship? 

7. How did Beauregard render Butler harmless? 

8. What did Grant say of Butler's army? 

9. Describe the gallant conduct of the cadets of the Virginia Military 

Institute, at New Market. 

10. Describe Hunter's campaign in the Valley. 

1 1. What vandalism did he commit at Lexington? 

12. By whom was he met, and defeated? 

13. Why did not Early continue his march, and attack Washington? 

14. Whom did Grant send to defeat Early, and with how many men? 

15. What did Sheridan do in the Valley, and what assertion did he 

make ? 

16. What did Grant hope to do on crossing the James? 

17. How were his first assaults repulsed? 

18. Give an account of the Petersburg mine. 

19. How did it recoil upon the Federals? 

20. What did Grant say of it? 

21. What did the reelection of Lincoln show the South? ♦ 

22. To what limits had the Confederacy been reduced at the end of 

1864? 

23. What was Sherman now preparing to do? 

24. What is said of the resources of the Confederacy? 

virg. hist. — 1 c 



CHAPTER XXVIII 

END OF THE WAR 

Evacuation of Richmond and Petersburg. — During the 
autumn and winter (1864-65) General Grant fortified his 
position ; and, while his cavalry laid waste the country that 
furnished supplies to the Confederates, his infantry gradu- 
ally extended their lines westward, till Lee was forced to 
guard fortifications thirty-five or forty miles in length. To 
do this, in March, 1865, ne na -d about forty thousand half- 
starved and half-clothed men, while in front of him lay 
Grant's well-equipped army of three or four times that num- 
ber. Grant received a continual stream of reinforcements 
to make good any losses he might sustain. Lee could get 
none. The crisis came in the spring of 1865. On April 2, 
Grant pierced Lee's thin lines in several places, and thus 
rendered the evacuation 1 of Richmond and Petersburg 

1 Strange to say, the people of Richmond had no idea that the city was 
about to be evacuated. This is accounted for by the fact that for some time 
the newspapers had been warned by the Confederate government not to pub- 
lish any news except such as the War Department gave out. The impression 
prevailed that General Johnston was going to unite his army with Lee's, and 
that then an offensive movement would be made against the Federals. Bat 
this fancied security came suddenly to an end. On the morning of April 2, 
while President Davis was attending service at St. Paul's church, a messenger 
brought him a dispatch from General Lee which announced that the Con- 
federate lines had been broken, and that unless they could be reestablished, 
when night came the city would have to be evacuated. Davis maintained his 
composure, but immediately left the church. Soon the rumor was heard on 
the streets that the time had come when Lee could no longer hold the 
beleaguered city, and by the afternoon even the most incredulous saw unmis- 
takable signs that the evacuation was at hand. 

MO 



END OF THE WAR 23 I 

necessary. On the night of the 2nd, General Lee withdrew 
his troops from the fortifications they had so long and so 
gallantly defended, and began to retreat toward Danville, 
his plan being to reach North Carolina and unite his army 
with that of General Joseph E. Johnston. 

The Conflagration in Richmond. — On the morning of 
April 3 the Federals took possession of Richmond, which 
they found to be on fire, the conflagration having its origin 
in the burning of some public buildings by the Confeder- 
ates as they retreated. The city presented a scene of the 
wildest confusion. Bands of men were plundering the 
stores, while the streets were full of homeless people, 
whose cries of distress were heard on all sides. Nearly 
one third of the city was laid in ruins before the progress 
of the flames could be arrested, but this was finally done 
by the combined efforts of the citizens and Federal 
authorities. 

Surrender of General Lee. — Lee had ordered rations to 
be sent to Amelia Courthouse for his army ; but, owing to 
some mistake, this was not done. His forces reached this 
point on April 4. They were without food, and in en- 
deavoring to get provisions from the country they lost 
nearly twenty-four hours. On the evening of April 4th, 
Sheridan's cavalry reached Jetersville on the Richmond 
and Danville railroad, which caused Lee, when he resumed 
his retreat, to leave the line of the railroad and turn toward 
Lynchburg. When he reached Appomattox Courthouse, 
he found Sheridan's cavalry in his front and also an infan- 
try line of battle, while the main body of the Army of the 
Potomac was in his rear. His forces were surrounded, and 
he realized that further resistance would but lead to the 
sacrifice of the remnant of the brave army, which under 
his leadership had proved itself invincible on so many hard- 



232 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

fought fields. Accordingly on the 9th of April he sur- 
rendered to General Grant the shattered remnant of his 
noble army, numbering about twenty-eight thousand men, 
but of these only eight thousand bore arms. 

Grant's Generous Spirit. — General Grant in this hour of 
triumph showed no disposition to exult over his great 
antagonist. Instead of this he treated him with the most 













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Arlington, Lee's Home 

delicate consideration. He did not demand Lee's sword, 
and it was not offered to him. He only required that the 
men should lay down their arms. Those that had horses 
were allowed to retain them. " They will need them for 
their spring plowing," General Grant said. 

General Lee taking Leave of his Army. — It was a sad 
sight when General Lee took leave of his army. His sol- 
diers crowded up to him, anxious to touch him, or even his 
horse. In bidding them farewell their great commander 



END OF THE WAR 233 

said : " Men, we have fought through the war together ; I 
have done my best for you ; my heart is too full to say 
more." 

Downfall of the Confederacy. — The surrender of Lee 
was followed by that of General Joseph E. Johnston to 
General Sherman, which took- place in North Carolina on 
April 26. Then in rapid succession the Confederate 
armies in other parts of the South laid down their arms. 
The South was fighting for independence, and the over- 
throw of the Army of Northern Virginia convinced her that 
she could not succeed. When this became evident, the 
Confederacy went down at once ; and the great contest 
came to a sudden end. 

No Trials of Confederate Leaders. — President Davis was 
captured on May 10, in Georgia, and imprisoned in Fortress 
Monroe. Mr. Stanton, Secretary of State under President 
Lincoln, endeavored to bring the illustrious captive to trial 
for cruelty to Federal prisoners, who had suffered at Ander- 
sonville for supplies which the South was unable to give 
them ; but in this effort he failed. For two years, however, 
Jefferson Davis remained a prisoner, and was then re- 
leased on bail ; but neither he nor any other Confederate 
leader was ever tried for taking part in the secession 
movement. 

Supremacy of the Nation. — The war accomplished the 
object for which the North fought — the restoration of 
the Union. The result proved that a majority of the citi- 
zens of the United States had decided that the Union 
should be a nation and not a confederacy of sovereign 
states as it was when the Constitution was adopted. No 
amendment embodying this was made to the Constitution ; 
but the right of secession had been submitted to the arbit- 
rament of arms and the decision had been that it must be 



234 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

given up, and thus the supremacy of the nation was estab- 
lished. 

Abolition of Slavery. — The course of events was also 
such as to bring about the abolition of slavery. 1 President 
Lincoln, in 1863, issued an emancipation proclamation as 
a war measure to help bring about the defeat of the South ; 
and while this was immediately effective only in territory 
occupied by the Federals, yet once published, it was never 
recalled ; for, as time passed, it became a settled conviction 
all through the North and the West that slavery should 
not survive the war. Accordingly, after the struggle was 
over, amendments, which gave the negro his freedom, 
made him a citizen, and secured to him his rights, were 
made to the Constitution. 

The Army of Northern Virginia. — The rank and file of the 
Army of Northern Virginia was made up largely of gentle- 
men of birth, fortune, and education. In the Rockbridge 
artillery there were twenty-eight college graduates, and in 
a company of infantry that went from the Northern Neck 
of Virginia, there were sixteen graduates of the Virginia 
Military Institute. The heroic deeds of the army were due 
to the fact that each private soldier, whether rich or poor, 
of high or low estate, felt that he was fighting for a prin- 
ciple, and so each one entered into the contest with the 
spirit that animated the European noblesse in the wars of 
the Middle Ages. 

1 At first the people of the North fought to preserve the Union with slavery; 
but, after January I, 1863, when President Lincoln issued the Emancipation 
Proclamation, their object was to preserve the Union and abolish slavery. To 
preserve the Union was the aim which President Lincoln set before himself. 
Early in the war he said : " If the Union can best be saved by emancipating 
all the slaves, I am willing to emancipate them all; if it can best be saved by 
emancipating part, I am ready to emancipate a part; and if it can best be 
saved by not emancipating any. 1 will emancipate none." 



END OF THE WAR 235 

A Northern Tribute to Virginia. — During the war the 
Washington Republican, an organ that advocated the aboli- 
tion of slavery, published the following handsome tribute 
to Virginia : " If there has been any decadence of the 
manly virtues in the Old Dominion, it is not because the 
present generation has proved itself either weak or cow- 
ardly or unequal to the greatest emergencies. No people 
with so few numbers ever put into the field, and kept 
there so long, troops more numerous, brave, or more 
efficient, or produced generals of more merit in all kinds 
and grades of military talent. 1 It is not a worn-out and 
effete race that has produced Lee, Johnston, Jackson, 
Ashby, 2 and Stuart. It is not a worn-out and effete race 

1 Dr. Hunter McGuire, Medical Director Second Army Corps (Stonewall 
Jackson's), Army of Northern Virginia, in a lecture on Stonewall Jackson, 
says : " It was with a swelling heart that I recently heard some of the first 
soldiers and military students of England declare that within the past two hun- 
dred years the English-speaking race had produced but five soldiers of the first 
rank — Marlborough, Washington, Wellington, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall 
Jackson. I heard them declare that Jackson's campaign in the Shenandoah 
Valley was the finest specimen of strategy and tactics of which the world has 
any record; that in this series of marches and battles there was never a 
blunder, and that this campaign was superior to either of those made by 
Napoleon in Italy. One British officer who teaches strategy in a great 
European college told me that he used this campaign as a model, and dwelt 
upon it for months in his lectures, and that it was taught in all military schools 
of Germany, and Von Molke declared it was without a rival in the world's 
history. 'Indeed,' he added, 'Jackson seems to me to have been inspired.' 
Another British soldier of high rank and a trained student of war told me 
that for its numbers the Army of Northern Virginia had more force and power 
than any other army that ever existed." 

2 Turner Ashby was born at Rosehill, Fauquier Co., Va., in 1824. He 
was appointed a brigadier general in 1862, and was distinguished as a cavalry 
leader. Of him, Jackson wrote : "As a partisan officer, I never knew his 
superior. His daring was proverbial, his powers of endurance almost incredi- 
ble, his tone of character heroic, and his sagacity almost intuitive in divining 
the purposes and movements of the enemy." To defend Virginia was the one 



236 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

which for two years has defended its capital against the 
approach of an enemy close upon their borders and out- 
numbering them thirty to one. It is not a worn-out and 
effete race which has preserved substantial popular unity 
under all the straits and pressure and sacrifice of this 
unprecedented war." 

QUESTIONS 

1. What did Grant do in the autumn and winter of 1865? 

2. What was the condition of Lee's army at this time, and what were 

its numbers? 

3. Give the steps that led to the evacuation of Richmond and 

Petersburg. 

4. Describe the conflagration in Richmond. 

5. Give an account of the surrender of Lee. When did it take 

place ? 

6. What was the respective strength of the two armies at the time? 

7. How did Grant show a generous spirit? 

8. Describe Lee"s farewell to his army. 

9. What followed Lee's surrender? 

10. When and where was President Davis imprisoned? 

1 1. Was he or any other Confederate leader ever tried? 

12. What did the war establish in regard to the nation? 

13. Why had Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863? 

14. After the war, what amendments were made to the Constitution? 

15. What was the character of the men that composed the Army of 

Northern Virginia? 

16. Give the tribute paid to Virginia by the Washington Republican. 

17. What do European critics say of Jackson's Valley Campaign and 

the Army of Northern Virginia? 

18. Who was Turner Ashby, and what is said of him? 

thought that filled Ash by 's heart. At Harper's Ferry, just as the war opened, 
some one asked him under what banner he was going to fight. He took 
from his hat a small flag of Virginia, and pointing to it said, "That is the 
flag I intend to fight under." On the 9th of June, 1862, after the battle and 
victory of Port Republic, near Harrisonburg, the gallant Turner Ashby was 
struck by a minic ball, and killed almost instantly. 



REVIEW QUESTIONS 237 



REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1. Describe the battle of Chancellorsville. 

2. Give an account of the death of Stonewall Jackson. 

3. Describe the cavalry battle of Brandy Station. 

4. Tell of the battle of Gettysburg, and what is said of this battle. 

5. What plan did Grant form for subjugating the South? 

6. Describe the battles of the Wilderness. 

7. What is said of Lee's generalship? 

8. Describe Butler's imprisonment. 

9. Tell of the bravery of the cadets at New Market. 

10. Give an account of Hunter's march through the Valley, and Early's 

defeat of him. 

n. Of Sheridan's devastation of the Valley. 

12. Describe the siege of Petersburg. 

13. The battle of the Crater. 

14. What was the situation at the end of 1864? 

15. Tell of the evacuation of Richmond and Petersburg. 

16. When and where did General Lee surrender, and what was the 

respective numbers of the two armies ? 

17. What is said of Grant's generous spirit? 

18. Give Lee's farewell words to his army. 

19. Tell about the downfall of the Confederacy, and the results of the 

war. 

20. Describe the Army of Northern Virginia, and give the tribute paid 

to the state by a Northern paper. 



CHAPTER XXIX 

RECONSTRUCTION AND RESTORATION 

Condition of Virginia after the War. — Virginia had 
poured out her resources in a lavish stream to meet the 
ever-increasing needs of the Confederate government. 
She had borne the brunt of the war; and great was the 
devastation brought upon her by the conflict through which 
she had passed. When the end came, her condition was 
deplorable. Her slaves had been forcibly freed, and, all over 
her territory, houses had been burned, fences destroyed, 
cattle killed, and farms devastated. Worse than all this, 
her fields had been drenched with blood; and the land was 
filled with mourning for fathers, brothers, husbands, and 
sons, who had gone forth to battle and had never returned. 

Suspension of Civil Government. — When Richmond was 
evacuated, the state government, as it existed under the 
Confederacy, came practically to an end. Governor Smith, 
it is true, moved the seat of the government to Lynchburg ; 
but, becoming convinced after the surrender of General 
Lee that any further effort on the part of the state to con- 
tinue the war would be useless, he gave himself up to the 
Federal authorities and received his parole. 

On April 6 President Lincoln issued an order which au- 
thorized the legislature to assemble at Richmond, but this 
he recalled 1 before a formal meeting of the body was held. 

1 General Grant lays the responsibility of the recall of the permission for 
the meeting of the legislature of Virginia entirely upon Secretary Stanton. 
See Grant's Memoirs, Vol. II., p. 506. 

238 



RECONSTRUCTION AND RESTORATION 239 

Provisional Government Established. — Unfortunately 
for Virginia, President Lincoln was assassinated 1 by John 
Wilkes Booth soon after the evacuation of Richmond. Had 
Lincoln lived, the people believed that the state would have 
been speedily restored to her place in the Union, and this 
his successor, President Johnson, tried to bring about, but 
he was unable to control the dominant party in Congress. 
One month after Lee's surrender, Johnson, in following 
out his plan for the restoration of the state, appointed 
Francis H. Pierpont provisional governor. 

Refused Readmission into the Union. — Governor Pier- 
pont, 2 in taking charge of affairs, showed a patriotic 

1 On the night of April 14, President Lincoln, with his wife and some 
friends, was seated in a box at P^ord's theater, Washington, D.C., when 
Booth crept in and shot him with a pistol. The wounded President was 
carried to a house near the theater, and all that medical skill could suggest 
was done for him. But the bullet had penetrated his brain, and he died the 
next morning. Booth, after firing the fatal shot, leaped from the box, but 
his spur caught in an American flag, and he fell heavily, breaking his leg. 
Such wild confusion prevailed, however, that he made his escape from the 
building, and mounting a horse held in readiness for him by an accomplice, 
rode rapidly away. But he was pursued, and finally found in an old barn 
near Bowling Green, Va. As he refused to surrender, the building was set 
on fire, and he was shot. 

2 Mr. Pierpont had been, since January 1, 1864, governor of what was 
known as " Restored Virginia," the history of which was as follows : After 
West Virginia became a separate state, the Union people living in ten coun- 
ties and parts of counties organized at Alexandria a government loyal to the 
United States, and elected Pierpont governor. This " restored government " 
was a feeble organization, its General Assembly never numbering, it is said, 
more than sixteen. Under its auspices, however, a convention was called 
which adopted an amended constitution, one clause of which provided for the 
abolition of slavery. President Johnson, in the proclamation he issued on 
May 9, 1865, recognized the "restored government" as the true and lawful 
one for Virginia. Pierpont then transferred his seat of government from 
Alexandria to Richmond, and on June 20, 1865, called a special session of his 
legislature. The elections that took place in October, 1865, were held under 
the authority of the " restored government." 



240 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

spirit in his efforts to reestablish the state government. 
On October 12, 1865, elections were held for members of 
the General Assembly and of Congress. But when the 
representatives of Virginia appeared in Washington, Con- 
gress refused to allow them to take their seats, and, before 
its adjournment, decided not to readmit into the Union any 
state that had formed a part of the Confederacy, till it 
would ratify the fourteenth amendment to the Federal 
Constitution. This made the negro a citizen and put the 
political and military leaders of the Confederacy under 
disability to hold office. Virginia refused to take the action 
required of her, and so was not readmitted. Governor 
Pierpont continued to administer the provisional govern- 
ment established by President Johnson, and the people 
displayed a law-abiding spirit. The state government was 
theoretically independent, but the military authorities fre- 
quently interfered with the operations of the civil law. 

Under Military Rule. — Finally, in 1867, Congress passed 
over the President's veto the Reconstruction Acts, which 
put Virginia under military rule. By these measures the 
government existing in the state was made entirely subor- 
dinate to a military commander, who had authority to ad- 
minister all the powers of the state, life and liberty being 
subject to such military commissions as he might create. 
The courts of the state could sit, but only by permission of 
the commander. During this period no one was allowed 
to vote or hold office unless he could take an oath 1 that he 

1 This was known as the ironclad oath, which was as follows: " I ... do 
solemnly swear that I have never voluntarily borne arms against the United 
States since I have been a citizen thereof; that I have voluntarily given no 
aid, countenance, counsel, or encouragement to persons engaged in armed 
hostility thereto; that I have never sought, nor accepted, nor attempted to 
exercise the functions of any office whatever, under any authority or pretended 
authority in hostility to the United States; that I have not yielded a voluntary 



RECONSTRUCTION AND RESTORATION 24 1 

had never borne arms against the United States, and had 
never given aid to the Confederacy, nor held an office 
under its authority. 

The Rule of " Carpet-baggers " 1 and " Scallawags " 2 . - 
Under the test oath required but few white men could take 
part in politics, and so the government of the state fell into 
the hands of " Carpet-baggers," " Scallawags," and negroes. 
For a time there was a reign of ignorance, fraud, and rob- 
bery, during which the state debt, already a very heavy 
one, was increased over thirteen millions. Two of the 
military commanders complained to the authorities at 
Washington that it was impossible, under the test oath 
required, to find enough competent persons to fill the 
offices in the state. 

In the Union again. — In 1870 the state was readmitted 
into the Union under a constitution which accepted all the 
legislation that had been made in regard to the negro, but 
without any clause disfranchising the citizens who had 
taken part in the War of Secession. After this the gov- 
ernment came into the hands of those competent to admin- 
ister it, and soon law and order prevailed throughout the 
commonwealth. President Grant aided in rescuing the 
state from the rule of the " Carpet-baggers " and "Scalla- 
wags," by using his influence in getting the disfranchising 
clause submitted to a separate vote which resulted in its 
rejection. 

support to any pretended government, authority, power, or constitution within 
the United States, hostile or inimical thereto; and . . . that ... I will sup- 
port and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies . . ." 
etc. 

1 A Northern politician who, possessing nothing but a carpet-bag came 
South to get plunder and office, was called by the people a " Carpet-bagger." 

2 The few renegade Southerners, who joined with the " Carpet-baggers " in 
their plundering schemes, were denominated in derision "Scallawags." 



242 FROM THE CIVIL WAR I'U IHb PRESENT TIME 

The Freedmen's Bureau. — An account of the Recon- 
struction period would be incomplete without a notice of 
the Freedmen's Bureau. As the war drew to an end, the 
number of negroes dependent upon the Federal govern- 
ment had become so great that Congress established in 
connection with the War Department a bureau, which was 
to have control of all matters relating to refugees and 
freedmen from the territory that had been in the Con- 
federacy. It was authorized to issue provisions, clothing, 
fuel, and medical supplies to the destitute. It had power 
also to take charge of abandoned or confiscated land, and 
to rent it to refugees and freedmen in forty-acre tracts for 
a term of three years. At the end of this time, the bureau 
could sell the land to the occupants. This provision gave 
rise to a widespread belief among the negroes that it was 
the purpose of the government to give each one of them 
" forty acres and a mule." The hope of this expected 
legacy, which was for a long time cherished, had the effect 
of increasing idleness. It was used, too, by unscrupulous 
adventurers from the North to extort money from the 
negroes, on the promise that the land would be divided 
out among them as soon as they all paid a small fee. 

The establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau was due 
to sectional prejudice, which ran high in 1865, and to a 
mistaken idea that it would prove a benefit to the negro 
race. In Virginia and elsewhere its operations ended in 
failure. 

Wreck of the Plantation System. — The plantation system 
that had existed from the earliest period came to a sudden 
end with Lee's surrender. After this event, the conditions 
of country life were practically revolutionized. The obliga- 
tion that had rested upon a master to feed, clothe, take 
care of, and protect his slaves for life-time services was 



RECONSTRUCTION AND RESTORATION 243 

changed at once to a business contract between master 
and servant, which could be easily terminated. For a 
short time, in most parts of the state, the negroes remained 
upon the land of their former masters. Then the desire 
to enjoy their newly acquired freedom caused them to 
move from place to place, and to seek busy centers. 
Soon the deserted and roofless cabins that were seen all 
over the country were unmistakable and melancholy signs 
that the plantation system, as it existed in the olden times, 
was no more. 

Spirit of the People. — The Virginians have always been 
known as a sanguine people ; and this phase of their char- 
acter came out prominently in the way they accepted the 
issues of the war without repining. They addressed them- 
selves resolutely to the difficult task of restoring their 
ruined homes, when they were without capital, without 
credit, and in many cases hopelessly involved in debt. 
Men, who had never done a day's work in their lives but 
had lived in comfort upon the labor of their slaves, began 
at once to cultivate the land with their own hands ; and 
fair women, brought up in luxury and accustomed to all 
the refinements of life, performed without a murmur house- 
hold drudgery, to which they had been strangers. The 
heroic spirit the people had displayed when tried in the 
fiery ordeal of war was not more admirable than the pa- 
tient endurance and self-control they manifested in adjust- 
ing themselves to the new conditions that confronted them. 

QUESTIONS 

1 . Describe the condition of Virginia after the Civil War. 

2. What is said of the suspension of civil government? 

3. Give an account of President Lincoln's assassination. 

4. What did President Johnson wish to do for the state, and what 

kind of governor did he appoint? 



244 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

5. Give the history of " Restored Virginia " 

6. What happened when Virginia's representatives appeared in 

Washington? 

7. Why was she refused readmission into the Union? 

8. Describe the military rule under which the state was put by Con- 

gress. 

9. Who were the "Carpet-baggers " and " Scallawags"? 

10. What was the ironclad oath? 

1 1 . When and under what conditions did Virginia enter the Union 

again ? 

12. W T hat was the Freedmen's Bureau? 

13. How did it prove an injury to the negro? 

14. W T hen and in what way was the plantation system wrecked? 

15. Describe the spirit of the people in adjusting themselves to the 

changed condition of affairs. 



CHAPTER XXX 

RECENT TIMES 

Capitol Disaster. — A few months after the civil govern- 
ment of Virginia had been restored, an unexpected catas- 
trophe spread sorrow throughout the state. A great crowd 
had assembled in the chamber of the Court of Appeals to 
hear a decision which would determine whether Ellyson, 
who had been elected mayor of Richmond, had a right to 
the office, or Chahoon, who had been appointed under the 
military authorities. While the people were waiting for 
the verdict, which was in favor of Mayor Ellyson, the floor 
gave way, and the crowd was precipitated into the legisla- 
tive hall below. Sixty-five persons were killed and more 
than two hundred sustained injuries. A number of the 
most prominent citizens were among the killed and 
wounded. 

Last Days of General Lee. — General Lee spent his last 
days in Virginia, which he loved so well. After the war 
was over he believed that it was the duty of all who wished 
to take part in the restoration of their state to render 
allegiance to the Federal government ; and so he applied 
to President Johnson for amnesty under the terms of the 
proclamation issued by him. His example kept many 
Virginians from hastily abandoning their state in the hour 
of defeat. In the autumn of 1865 Lee accepted the presi- 
dency of Washington College, where for the remainder of 
his life he devoted himself as conscientiously to the work 

VIRG. HIST. — 16 245 



246 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

of education, as he had formerly done to the prosecution 
of the war. He died in 1870, at the age of sixty-three. 
His ability, with the high and noble virtues of his character, 
mark him as one of the greatest Americans that the nine- 
teenth century has produced. Lord Wolseley says he has 
met but two men who filled his ideal of what a true hero 
should be, and one of these was Robert E. Lee. 

Public School System. — Virginia has had much to con- 
tend with in regard to public schools. In colonial days 
education was not encouraged except among the higher 
classes, Governor Berkeley going so far as to say : " I 
thank God there are no free schools nor printing, and 
I hope we shall not have these hundred years ; for learn- 
ing has brought disobedience and heresy and sects into 
the world, and printing has divulged them, and libels 
against the best government. God keep us from both." 
After the Revolution much interest was manifested by 
Thomas Jefferson and others in public education ; but the 
state did not make adequate provision for its maintenance 
till 1870, when the present public school system was 
established. This system, since it went into operation, 
has, year by year, grown in favor and in usefulness. The 
people value the public schools highly, and are thoroughly 
alive to the importance of sustaining them. 

Higher and Technical Education. — Among the institu- 
tions for higher and technical education that have con- 
tributed greatly to the literary advancement of the state 
are the University of Virginia, Washington and Lee Uni- 
versity, Randolph-Macon, Hampden Sidney, Roanoke 
College, Richmond College, Emory and Henry, College 
of William and Mary, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia 
Polytechnic Institute, Randolph-Macon Woman's College, 
State Female Normal School. In addition to the institu- 



RECENT TIMES 247 

tions named above, in every part of the state are to be 
found high schools, academies, and female colleges of high 
grade which are doing excellent work. 

Yorktown Centennial. — The hundredth anniversary of 
the surrender of Cornwallis was celebrated at Yorktown 
in 1 88 1, and the occasion brought to Virginia visitors from 
all over the country and from Europe. The United States 
sent a large number of soldiers to Yorktown ; and her war 
ships gathered in the neighborhood, while from Europe 
came representatives of France and Germany and descend- 
ants of the foreign officers who were with the Americans 
when the surrender took place. The celebration lasted for 
six days, and was characterized by military and naval re- 
views, which were witnessed by thousands of the inhabitants 
of the state. 

The State Debt. — The public debt at the close of the 
Reconstruction period was over forty-five million dollars, 
one third of which was set aside to West Virginia. The 
remainder proved a heavy burden to the state in her 
impoverished condition, and was the cause of much dis- 
cussion and division among the people. But, happily, in 
1892 an agreement was reached between the legislature 
and the bondholders by which the debt was adjusted, and 
the matter is not likely again to disturb the politics of the 
state. 

Virginia at the Worlds Fair. — At the great Columbian 
Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 to commemorate the 
four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America, 
the Virginia exhibit was displayed in a building which was 
an exact representation of the home of Washington at 
Mount Vernon, and contained much of the furniture of 
that historic structure. It was filled with a rare collection 
of relics of the colonial and Revolutionary periods. The 



248 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

novelty of the building and interesting character of its 
contents caused it to attract greater attention than many 
others that were far more costly and magnificent. 

The White House of the Confederacy. — The mansion in 
Richmond formerly occupied by President Davis, and 
known as the White House of the Confederacy, is now a 
museum for the preservation of Confederate relics, and also 
the repository of the records of the Southern Historical 
Society. Each state that belonged to the Confederacy has 
a separate room in which it places its valued relics. In the 
Virginia room are to be found memorials of Lee, Jackson, 
Johnston, Pickett, Stuart, A. P. Hill, and of other illus- 
trious sons too numerous to be mentioned here. Among 
the documents, preserved in the building by the Southern 
Historical Society, are valued autograph letters of the 
leading Confederate generals and the copy of the " Paroles 
of the Army of Northern Virginia " that was made out for 
General Lee. This museum of Confederate relics is not 
designed either to arouse or to keep alive sectional feeling, 
but to perpetuate the deeds, the hardships, and the self- 
denial of a patriotic people. Virginia is thoroughly loyal 
to the restored Union, but at the same time she is true 
to her past and cherishes tenderly the memory of the 
Confederacy. 

Patriotism of Virginia Women. — No history of Virginia, 
which does not chronicle the influence women have exerted 
in shaping the destiny of the state, would be complete. 
During the uncertain years of the Revolution and also in 
the trying days of the Civil War, they sent their loved 
ones to battle for their country with the same heroic spirit 
that animated the Spartan mother when she bade her son 
farewell with the injunction, "Come back with your shield 
or upon it." Nor did they remain inactive at home, but 



RECENT TIMES 249 

ministered to the sick and wounded with the most unremit- 
ting care, taking charge of hospitals and sustaining them 
largely by their own contributions. At the same time they 
encouraged those who were bearing arms in the field, and 
rendered them aid in every way that ingenuity could devise. 
When all this is taken into consideration, it is evident that 
they deserve a share in the state's heroic achievements as 
truly as do the most valiant soldiers. 

Patriotic Societies. — Such patriotic societies as the 
"Colonial Dames," " Daughters of the American Revolu- 
tion," and " Daughters of the Confederacy " are enthusi- 
astically sustained by Virginia women, who thus in times 
of peace keep alive in the memory of the people the 
deeds of their forefathers. Though Virginia is the oldest 
settlement of English people outside of England, she for 
a long time did but little toward saving from destruction 
relics of her early history. But in recent years the women 
of the state have become interested in the matter, and have 
formed a " Society for the Preservation of Virginia Antiqui- 
ties," which is doing much valuable work. 

Governors since the War. — The first governor elected by 
the people after the war was Gilbert C. Walker, of New 
York. Then Governors Kemper, Holliday, Cameron, Fitz- 
hugh Lee, McKenney, and O'Ferrall have been successively 
the executive heads of the Old Dominion. J. Hoge Tyler, 
whose administration has begun auspiciously, now (1898) 
fills the high office. 

Resources. — The resources of the state, if developed, 
would produce wealth enough to enrich an empire. The 
Alleghany region abounds in gold, silver, copper, granite, 
marble, and coal. Iron ore is found in at least half the 
counties, and zinc, lead, and tin exist in quantities that indi- 
cate profitable investment for capital. These are but a 



250 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

few of the state's mineral resources, which appear to be 
almost boundless. The climate and soil present conditions 
favorable to the production of nearly all the useful and 
profitable agricultural crops of the world. Matthew Fon- 
taine Maury, Virginia's great scientist, who was well ac- 
quainted with her resources, said: "The more I search the 
old state, the more she reminds me of the magic sheaf of 
wheat, which the more it was threshed the more it yielded ; 
for the longer I study her valleys and mountains, her 
waters, climate, and soils, the more I am astonished and 
impressed at the variety, abundance, and value of her un- 
developed treasure. And the vastness of the wealth which 
lies dormant in her borders, waiting for capital and labor 
to develop and utilize it, fairly dazzles the imagination." 

Progress. — The people are still mainly engaged in 
agriculture, but at the same time they realize that this is 
not the only source of wealth and advancement, and so 
they are paying attention to other branches of industry. 
Manufactures are being established, factories are springing 
up, blast furnaces are being reared, and mines developed. 
Cattle raising and fruit growing are becoming profitable 
pursuits, and the newly developed business of truck farm- 
ing is giving most encouraging results. Virginia wheat is 
of such excellent quality that flour made from it is in great 
demand outside of the state, which renders the milling 
interest a flourishing one. Many of the cities and towns 
have large tobacco factories, the products of which are to 
be found in nearly all civilized countries. The machine 
shops at Richmond and Roanoke are equal in capacity and 
in the work done to any in the United States. Newport 
News has unsurpassed facilities for shipbuilding, as was 
amply proved in March, 1898, when the Kearsage and the 
Kentucky, two formidable battle ships for the United 



RECENT TIMES 25 I 

States Navy, were launched from her shipyard. Small 
industries, such as the making of staves, tubs, etc., are 
steadily increasing. The shipment of furniture and orna- 
mental woods is rendering the products of the forests 
valuable. All these and many other industrial enterprises 
that are being developed mark a new era of progress for 
the Old Dominion. 

Development of Literature. — American literature had its 
beginning in accounts of travel and adventure written by 
Captain John Smith and other early settlers. But during 
colonial days, and indeed up to the time of the Civil War, 
the conditions of life in Virginia were not favorable to the 
development of literary activity. The plantation system, 
which rendered personal effort unnecessary, encouraged 
the educated classes to lead lives of leisure and to regard 
literature as an accomplishment rather than as a serious 
calling. There was, too, a lack of towns and cities to fur- 
nish centers of literary life, and without these writing as 
a profession is never profitable. The ambitious turned to 
law and politics as offering easier avenues to distinction. 
" Literature stood no chance, because the ambition of 
young men of the South was universally turned in the 
direction of political distinction, and because the monopoly 
of advancement held by the profession of law was too well 
established and too clearly recognized to admit of its claim 
being contested." 1 The eloquent orations of Patrick 
Henry, the able state papers of Washington, Jefferson, 
and Madison, the writings of Chief Justice Marshall, 2 and 

1 The Old South, by Thomas Nelson Page, p. 67. 

2 John Marshall (1755— 1835), born in Virginia. In his early manhood he 
served for five years in the Revolutionary army, and after this he began the 
practice of law. In 1797 he was sent as Envoy Extraordinary to France, and 
in 1800 he became Secretary of State under President Adams. In 1801 he 



252 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

other productions that might be cited, prove that the lack 
of progress in literature was not due to want of intellectual 
ability. 

The Civil War brought changes in the social, industrial, 
and educational conditions. Hardly had the state solved 
the most difficult problems that followed the breaking down 
of the old regime than it became apparent that literature 
had experienced a quickening impulse. One by one Vir- 
ginia writers obtained a hearing from the public and won 
distinction. The time has not yet come to make an esti- 
mate of the work of these writers, most of whom are still 
living. But indications are that as a result of the new 
movement the Virginia of the past will be seen again in 
memory's soft light, and that the Virginia of the future will 
not lack for literary representatives. 

Virginia honors her Great Men. — Virginia does not for- 
get her distinguished men as is shown by the large num- 
ber of monuments that have been erected in the state. In 
the Capital Square at Richmond there is an equestrian 
statue of Washington, and upon its pedestal are grouped 
statues of the leaders of the Revolutionary period — Mason 
holding the Bill of Rights, Jefferson with the Declaration 
of Independence, Thomas Nelson as the representative of 
finance, John Marshall, the great jurist with a book of law, 
Patrick Henry with his sword drawn, and Andrew Lewis, 

was appointed Chief Justice of the United States, and was for thirty-four years 
at the head of the Judicial Department of the government. His decisions gave 
the Supreme Court a reputation which has never been surpassed. The fidelity 
and remarkable ability with which he discharged the duties of his high office 
caused it to be said of him that " He was born to be the chief justice of any 
country in which he lived." Judge Story paid the following tribute to Mar- 
shall: "His judgments for power of thought, beauty of illustration, and ele- 
gance of demonstration are justly numbered among the highest reaches of 
human thought." 



RECENT TIMES 253 

rifle in hand. A little distance from this group there is a 
statue of Stonewall Jackson, which was presented to the 
state by his English admirers ; and, in other parts of the 
city, an equestrian statue of Lee, a statue of A. P. Hill, 
also one in honor of the soldiers and sailors of the Confed- 
eracy. A monument to Stuart stands at Yellow Tavern 
where he fell, and in many other parts of the state memo- 
rials have been erected to our heroic dead. The private 
soldiers, who are in need, the state pensions as liberally 
as her revenue will permit. 

Conclusion. — While but few stirring events have oc- 
curred since Virginia resumed her place in the sisterhood 
of the states, yet during this period the commonwealth 
has been steadily increasing in prosperity. In character 
the people are unchanged. They continue to display the 
same devotion to duty and principle that has ever charac- 
terized them, and they cherish their rights as strongly 
as they did in former years. Whatever changes may 
come, it is safe to predict, in the light of the past, that, 
when the future history of the free, noble, high-minded 
people of the Old Dominion is written, it will contain a 
record of deeds that will be worthy of the countrymen 
of Washington and Lee. 

QUESTIONS 

1. Describe the Capitol disaster. 

2. What did General Lee believe to be the duty of all who wished to 

take part in the restoration of the state ? 

3. What position did he accept at the close of the war? 

4. When did he die, and what is said of him? 

5. Was education encouraged in colonial days? 

6. What did Governor Berkeley say in regard to free schools? 

7. When was the present public school system established, and what 

is said of it? 



254 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

8. Mention some of the schools and colleges for higher education. 

9. What was the Yorktown Centennial, and when was it held? 

10. What is said of the state debt? 

11. How was Virginia represented at the World's Fair? 

12. What was the " W 7 hite House of the Confederacy," and for what is 

it now used? 

13. What is said of the patriotism of Virginia women? 

14. Name the patriotic societies that are sustained by them. 

15. Give the names of the governors since the war. 

16. Mention some of the resources of the state. 

17. What does Matthew Fontaine Maury say of the state? 

18. Mention some of the branches of industry which indicate her 

progress. 

19. What is said of the development of literature? 

20. How did the plantation system retard its growth? 

21. To what professions did the young men turn, and why? 

22. What proves that there was not a want of intellectual ability? 

23. W r hen did Virginia receive a quickening impulse as to literature, 

and what is said of it? 

24. Who was John Marshall? 

25. How does Virginia show that she holds her great men in remem- 

brance? 

26. Mention the names of some of these to whom monuments have 

been raised. , 

27. What can be safely predicted in regard to the future history of 

Virginia ? 

REVIEW QUESTIONS 

1. Give an outline of the condition of Virginia after the Civil War, 

and of the steps that led to the appointment of a provisional 
governor. 

2. Why was she refused readmission into the Union, and under what 

rule was she placed by Congress? 

3. Why did the administration of the government fall into the hands 

of "Carpet-baggers " and u Scallawags, ,, and what is said of their 
rule ? 

4. When did Virginia reenter the Union, and what change did this 

bring in the administration of her government? 

5. W T hat object did the United States government have in establish- 



CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 255 

ing the Freedmen's Bureau, and what false expectation did it 
cause among the negroes? 

6. How long had the plantation system existed, and what caused its 

destruction ? 

7. What spirit have the Virginians always shown, and how did it 

manifest itself during the Reconstruction period? 

8. How did General Lee, by his example, keep many Virginians from 

leaving the state? How and where did he spend his last years? 

9. Give an outline of the progress of education from colonial days to 

the present time. 
10. What did the state debt cause among the people, and when was it 

finally settled? 
11 Give the history of the present Confederate museum at Richmond. 

12. Give the resources of the state, and tell what Matthew Fontaine 

Maury says. 

13. In what ways is the progress of the state shown? 

14. Explain the reason why literature did not flourish before the Civil 

War, and give its present outlook. 

15. In what does the Old Dominion especially honor some of her 

distinguished sons? 

16. What qualities do the Virginians continue to display, and what is 

predicted of their future? 



CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS (1860-1898) 

i860. Abraham Lincoln elected President. 

1861. Southern Confederacy formed at Montgomery, February 8. 

1861. Jefferson Davis inaugurated President of the Confederacy, 

February 18. 

1861. Lincoln inaugurated President of the United States. March 4. 

1861. Fort Sumter captured by the Confederates, April 14. 

1861. Lincoln's call for 75.000 volunteers, April 15. 

1861. Secession of Virginia, April 17. 

1861. Confederate capital changed from Montgomery to Richmond. 

1861. Battle of Big Bethel, June 10. 

1861. West Virginia organized a separate government, June II. 

1861. Confederate Congress assembled at Richmond, July 20. 

1861. First battle of Manassas, July 21. 

1862. Battle between the Virginia and the Monitor. March 9. 



256 FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT TIME 

1862. Jackson's Valley Campaign, March-June. 

1862. Battle of Seven Pines. May 31-June 1. 

1862. General Lee made commander of the Army of Northern Vir- 
ginia in June. 

1862. The Seven Days" battle around Richmond, June 25-July 1. 

1862. Second battle of Manassas, August 29-30. 

1862. Harper's Ferry captured by Jackson, September 15. 

1862. General Lee invaded Maryland in September. 

1862. Battle of Sharpsburg, or Antietam, September 17. 

1862. Battle of Fredericksburg, December 13. 

1863. Emancipation Proclamation, January 1. 
1863. Battle of Chancellorsville, May 2-3. 
1863. Death of Stonewall Jackson, May 10. 

1863. West Virginia admitted into the Union, June 20. 

1863. Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3. 

1864. Battles of the Wilderness, May 5-6. 

1864. Battle of Spottsylvania Courthouse, May 8-12. 

1864. Battle of New Market, May 15. 

1864. Battle of Cold Harbor, June 3. 

1864. Siege of Petersburg begun, June 15. 

1864. Invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania by Early in July. 

1864. Mine explosion at Petersburg and battle of the Crater, July 30. 

1865. Richmond evacuated, April 2. 
1865. General Lee surrendered, April 9. 

1865. Provisional government established in Virginia, May 9. 

1865. Assassination of President Lincoln, April 14. 

1 865 . President Davis taken prisoner, May 10. 

1865. Slavery abolished in the United States. 

1866. Memorial Day instituted. 

1867. Reconstruction Acts passed by Congress. 
1870. Virginia readmitted into the Union. 
1870. The Capitol disaster. 

1870. Public school system established. 

1870. Death of General Robert E. Lee. 

1 88 1. Yorktown Centennial. 

1892. State debt adjusted. 

1893. World's Columbian Exposition, May-October. 

1898. Launching of the battle ships Kearsarge and Kentucky at New- 
port News, March 25. 



APPENDIX 



COLONIAL GOVERNORS 

FROM SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA TILL REVOLUTION 

Herbert Jeffries (Lt. 

Gov.). 
Herbert Jeffries. 
Henry Chicheley. 
Thomas, Lord Cul- 

peper. 
Henry Chicheley (Lt. 

Gov.). 
Lord Howard of Ef- 
fingham. 
Nathaniel Bacon (Lt. 

Gov.). 
Francis Nicholson. 
Edmund Andros. 
Francis Nicholson. 
Earl of Orkney. 
Edward Nott (Lt. 

Gov.). 
Edmund Jennings 

(Lt. Gov.). 
Robert Hunter (Lt. 

Gov.). 
Alexander Spotswood 

(Lt. Gov.). 
Hugh Drysdale (Lt. 

Gov.). 
Robert Carter (Lt. 

Gov.). 
William Gooch (Lt. 
Gov.). 



I. 


1607. 


Edward .Maria Wing- 
field (Pres.). 


25. 


1677. 


2. 


1607. 


John Ratcliffe (Pres.). 


26. 


1677. 


3- 


1608. 


John Smith (Pres.). 


27. 


1678. 


4- 


1609. 


George Percy (Pres.). 


28. 


1678. 


5- 


1609. 


Thomas West, Lord 










Delaware. 


29. 


1680. 


6. 


1611. 


Thomas Dale (High 










Marshal) . 


3°- 


1684. 


7- 


1616. 


George Yeardley (Lt. 










Gov.). 


31- 


1689. 


8. 


1617. 


Samuel Argall (Lt. 










Gov.). 


32- 


1690. 


9- 


1619. 


George Yeardley. 


33- 


1692. 


IO. 


1621. 


Francis Wyatt. 


34- 


1698. 


ii. 


1626. 


George Yeardley. 


35- 


1704. 


12. 


1627. 


Francis West. 


36. 


1705. 


13- 


1628. 


John Potts. 






14. 


1629. 


John Harvey. 


37- 


1706. 


15- 


1635. 


John West. 






16. 


1635. 


John Harvey. 


38. 


1710. 


17- 


1639. 


Francis Wyatt. 






18. 


1 641. 


William Berkeley. 


39- 


1710. 


19. 


1645. 


Richard Kemp (Lt. 










Gov.). 


40. 


1722. 


20. 


1645. 


William Berkeley. 






21. 


1652. 


Richard Bennet. 


41. 


1726 


22. 


1656. 


Edward Diggs. 






23- 


1658. 


Samuel Matthews 


42. 


1727 


24. 


1660. 


William Berkeley. 


257 





25* 


i 


APPENDIX 




43- 


1749- 


John Robinson. Sr. 


43- 


1758. 


Francis Fauquier. 






(Lt. Gov.). 


49- 


1768. 


John Blair (Lt.Gov.). 


44- 


1749- 


Lord Albemarle. 


50. 


1768. 


Norborne Berkeley de 


45- 


1750. 


Louis Burwell (Lt. 






Botetourt. 






Gov.). 


5i- 


1770. 


William Nelson (Lt. 


4 6. 


1752. 


Robert D i n w i d d i e 






Gov.). 






(Lt. Gov.). 


52. 


1772. 


John. Lord Dunmore. 


47- 


1758. 


John Blair (Lt. Gov.). 


1 







GOVERNORS OF VIRGINIA FROM 1776 

1. Patrick Henry, elected 1776, Patriot or Whig. Born, Hanover 

County, April 2, 1736. Died, Charlotte County, June 6, 1799, 
aged 63. 

2. Thomas Jefferson, elected 1779, Patriot or Whig. Born, Albemarle 

County. Died July 4, 1826. Aged 83. 

3. Thomas Nelson, elected 1781, Patriot or Whig. Born, Yorktown, 

December 26, 1738. Died, Hanover County, Januarys, 1789, 
aged 51. 

4. Benjamin Harrison, elected 1781, Patriot or Whig. Born at Charles 

City County, , 1740. Died, Charles City County, , 1791, 

aged 51. 

5. Patrick Henry, elected 1784, Patriot or Whig. Born, Hanover 

County, April 2, 1736. Died, Charlotte County, June 6, 1799, 
aged 63. 

6. Edmund Randolph, elected 1786, Patriot or Whig. Born. Williams- 

burg, August 10, 1753. Died, Clarke County. September 13, 
18 1 3. aged 59. 

7. Beverly Randolph, elected 1788. Patriot or Whig. Born. Henrico 

County, , 1754. Died, Cumberland County, , 1797, 

aged 63. 

8. Henry Lee, elected 1791, Republican. Born, Westmoreland 

County, January 29, 1756. Died, Cumberland Island, Ga., 
March 25, 1818, aged 64. 

9. Robert Brooke, elected 1794, Republican. Born, Spottsylvania 

County, , 1761. Died, Richmond, , 1799, aged yj . 



APPENDIX 259 

10. James Wood, elected 1796, Republican. Born, Frederick County, 

, 1750. Died, Richmond, July 16, 1813. aged 63. 

11. James Monroe, elected 1799, Republican. Born, Westmoreland 

County, April 28, 1758. Died, New York, N. Y., July 4, 1831, 
aged 73. 

12. John Page, elected 1802, Republican. Born, Gloucester County, 

April 17, 1744. Died, Richmond, October 11, 1808, aged 64. 

13. William H. Cabell, elected 1805, Republican. Born, Cumberland 

County, December 16, 1772. Died, Richmond, June 17, 1853, 
aged 81. 

14. John Tyler, elected 1808, Republican. Born, Williamsburg, , 

1748. Died, Charles City County, January 6. 1813, aged 65. 

15. James Monroe, elected 181 1. Born, Westmoreland County, April 

28. 1758. Died. New York City, July 4. 1831, aged 73. 

16. George W. Smith, elected 181 1, Republican. Born, Essex County, 

. 1762. Died, Richmond, December 26. 181 1. aged 49. 

17. James Barbour, elected 181 2, Republican. Born, Orange County, 

June 10. 1775. Died, Orange County, June 8, 1842, aged 67. 

18. Wilson C. Nicholas, elected 18 14. Republican. Born. Hanover 

County, , 1757. Died, Milton, October 10, 1820, aged 63. 

19. James P. Preston, elected 1816, Republican. Born, Montgomery 

County, . 1774. Died, Isle of Wight County, May 4, 1843, 

aged 69. 

20. Thomas M. Randolph, elected 1819, Republican. Born. Tuckahoe, 

October 1. 1768. Died, Charlottesville. June 20. 1828. aged 60. 

21. James Pleasants, elected 1822, Republican. Born. Goochland 

County. October 24, 1769. Died, Goochland County, November 
9, 1839, aged 70. 

22. John Tyler, elected 1825, Republican. Born, Charles City County, 

March 29. 1790. Died, Richmond, January 18. 1862. aged 72. 

23. William B. Giles, elected 1827. State-Rights Democrat. Born, 

Amelia County, August 12, 1762. Died. Albemarle County, 
December 4, 1830, aged 68. 

24. John Floyd, elected 1830, State-Rights Democrat. Born. Jeffer- 

son County. Ky.. April 24, 1783. Died, Sweet Springs, August 
16, 1837, aged 54. 

25. L. W. Tazewell, elected 1834. State-Rights Whig. Born. Wil- 

liamsburg. December 17, 1774. Died, Norfolk, March 6, i860, 
a<red 86. 



260 APPENDIX 

26. Wyndham Robertson, elected 1836, State-Rights Whig. Born, 

Manchester, January 26, 1803. Died, Washington County, Feb- 
ruary n, 1888, aged 87. 

27. David Campbell, elected 1837, Democrat. Born, Washington 

County, August 2, 1779. Died, Abingdon, March 19, 1859, 
aged 80. 

28. Thomas W. Gilmer, elected 1840, State-Rights Whig. Born, 

Albemarle County, April 6, 1802. Died, Richmond, February 
28, 1844, aged 42. 

29. John M. Patton, elected 1841, State-Rights Whig. Born, Freder- 

icksburg, August 10, 1797. Died, Richmond, October 28, 1858, 
aged 61. 

30. John Rutherford, elected 1841, State-Rights Whig. Born, Rich- 

mond city, December 6, 1792. Died, Richmond, July — , 1866, 
aged 74. 

31. John M. Gregory, elected 1842. State-Rights Whig. Born, Charles 

City County, July 8, 1804. Died, Richmond, April 9, 1884, 
aged 88. 

32. James McDowell, elected 1843, Democrat. Born, Rockbridge 

County, October 12, 1796. Died, Rockbridge County, August 
24. 1851, aged 35. 

33. William Smith, elected 1846, State-Rights Democrat. Born, 

King George County, September 6, 1796. Died, Warrenton, 
May 18, 1887, aged 91. 

34. John B. Floyd, elected 1849, State-Rights Democrat. Born, 

Blacksburg, June 1, 1807. Died, Abingdon, August 26. 1863, 
aged 56. 

35. Joseph Johnson, elected 1852, State-Rights Democrat. Born, 

Orange County, N. Y., December 19, 1785. Died, Bridgeport, 
W. Va., February 27. 1877. a g ecl 9 2 - 

36. Henry A. Wise, elected 1856, State-Rights Democrat. Born, 

Accomac County, December 3. 1806. Died, Richmond. Septem- 
ber 12, 1876, aged 70. 

37. John Letcher, elected i860, State-Rights Democrat. Born, Lex- 

ington, March 29, 181 3. Died, Lexington. January 26, 1884, 
aged 7 1 . 

38. William Smith, elected 1864, State-Rights Democrat. Born, 

King George County, September 6, 1796. Died, Warrenton, May 
18, 1887, aged 91. 



APPENDIX 26l 

39. Francis H. Pierpont, appointed 1865, Republican. Born, Monon- 

galia, January 25, 1814. 

40. Henry H. Wells, appointed 1868, Republican. Born, Rochester, 

N.Y., September 17, 1823. 

41. Gilbert C. Walker, elected 1869, Republican. Born, Binghamton, 

N. Y., August 1, 1832. Died, Binghamton, N. Y., May 11, 1885, 
aged 53. 

42. James L. Kemper, elected 1873, Conservative. Born, Madison 

County, June 11, 1823. 

43. F. W. M. Eolliday, elected 1877, Conservative. Born, Winchester, 

February 22, 1828. 

44. William E. Cameron, elected 1881, Readjustee Born, Petersburg, 

November 29, 1842. 

45. Fitzhugh Lee, elected 1885, Democrat. Born, Fairfax County, 

November 19, 1835. 

46. Philip W. McKenney, elected 1889, Democrat. Born, Buckingham 

County, March 17, 1832. 

47. Charles T. O'Ferrall, elected 1893, Democrat. Born, Frederick 

County, Va., October 21, 1840 

48. J. Hoge Tyler, elected 1897, Democrat. Born, Montgomery County, 

Va., August 11. 1846. 



THE VIRGINIA RESOLVES, 1769 

RESOLVES OF THE HOUSE OF BURGESSES, PASSED THE 16TH OF 

MAY, 1769 

Resolved. Ncmine ) That the sole right of imposing taxes on the 
Contradicente^ \ inhabitants of this His Majesty's Colony and 
Dominion of Virginia is now, and ever hath been, legally and 
constitutionally vested in the House of Burgesses, lawfully con- 
vened, according to the ancient and established practice, with the 
consent of the Council, and of His Majesty the King of Great 
Britain, or his Governor for the time being. 

VI RG. HIST. — 17 



262 APPENDIX 

Resolved, nemine contradicente. That it is the undoubted privilege of 
the inhabitants of this colony to petition their Sovereign for redress 
of grievances ; and that it is lawful and expedient to procure the 
concurrence of His Majesty's other colonies, in dutiful addresses, 
praying the royal interposition in favor of the violated rights of 
America. 

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That all trials for treason, misprision 
of treason, or for any felony or crime whatsoever, committed and 
done in this His Majesty's said colony and dominion, by any person 
or persons residing therein, ought of right to be had, and conducted 
in and before His Majesty's courts, held within his said colony, 
according to the fixed and known course of proceeding ; and that 
the seizing any person or persons residing in the colony, suspected 
of any crime whatsoever, committed therein, and sending such 
person or persons to places beyond the sea to be tried, is highly 
derogatory of the rights of British subjects, as thereby the inesti- 
mable privilege of being tried by a jury from the vicinage, as well 
as the liberty of summoning and producing witnesses on such trial, 
will be taken away from the party accused. 

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That an humble, dutiful and loyal ad- 
dress be presented to His Majesty, to assure him of our inviolable 
attachment to his sacred person and government ; and to beseech 
his royal interposition, as the father of all his people, however 
remote from the seat of his empire, to quiet the minds of his loyal 
subjects of this colony, and to avert from them those dangers and 
miseries which will ensue, from the seizing and carrying beyond 
sea any person residing in America, suspected of any crime what- 
soever, to be tried in any other manner than by the ancient and 
long-established course of proceeding. 

(The following order is likewise in their journal of that date) : 

Ordered, That the speaker of this House do transmit, without delay, to 
the speakers of the several houses of Assembly on this continent, 
a copy of the resolutions now agreed to by this House, requesting 
their concurrence therein. 



APPENDIX 263 



ORDINANCE OF SECESSION 

AN ORDINANCE TO REPEAL THE RATIFICATION OF THE CON- 
STITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY THE 
STATE OF VIRGINIA, AND TO RESUME ALL THE RIGHTS AND 
POWERS GRANTED UNDER SAID CONSTITUTION 

The people of Virginia, in their ratification of the Constitution of the 
United States of America, adopted by them in convention on the 25th 
day of June, in the year of our Lord 1788, having declared that the 
powers granted under said Constitution were derived from the people 
of the United States, and might be resumed whensoever the same 
should be perverted to their injury and oppression, and the Federal 
Government having perverted said powers, not only to the injury of 
the people of Virginia, but to the oppression of the Southern slave- 
holding States : _ 

Now, therefore, we, the people of Virginia, do declare and ordain, 
That the ordinance adopted by the people of this State in convention 
on the 25th of June, in the year of our Lord 1788, whereby the Con- 
stitution of the United States of America was ratified, and all acts of 
the General Assembly of this State ratifying or adopting amendments 
to said Constitution, are herebv repealed and abrogated; that the 
union between the State of Virginia and the other States under the 
Constitution aforesaid is hereby dissolved, and that the State of Vir- 
ginia is in the full possession and exercise of all the rights of sovereignty 
which belong and appertain to a free and independent State. 

And they do further declare, That the said Constitution of the United 
States of America is no longer binding on any of the citizens of this 

State. 

This ordinance shall take effect and be an act of this day, when rati- 
fied by a majoritv of the votes of the people of this State cast at a poll 
to be taken thereon on the fourth Thursday in May next, in pursuance 
of a schedule hereafter to be enacted. 

Done in Convention, in the city of Richmond, on the 17th day of 
April, in the year of our Lord 1861, and in the eighty-fifth year of the 
Commonwealth of Virginia. 



264 APPENDIX 



PREAMBLE AND BILL OF RIGHTS 

(From the State Constitution) 

Whereas, the delegates and representatives of the good people of 
Virginia, in convention assembled, on the twenty-ninth day of June, in 
the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, 
reciting and declaring, that whereas George the Third, King of Great 
Britain and Ireland, and elector of Hanover, before that time entrusted 
with the exercise of the kingly office in the government of Virginia, 
had endeavored to pervert the same into a detestable and insupportable 
tyranny, by putting his negative on laws the most wholesome and neces- 
sary for the public good ; by denying his governors permission to pass 
laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their 
operation for his assent, and, when so suspended, neglecting to attend 
to them for many years ; by refusing to pass certain other laws, unless 
the persons to be benefited by them would relinquish the inestimable 
right of representation in the legislature ; by dissolving legislative assem- 
blies repeatedly and continually, for opposing with manly firmness his 
invasions of the rights of the people ; when dissolved, by refusing to 
call others for a long space of time, thereby leaving the political system 
without any legislative head ; by endeavoring to prevent the population 
of our country, and for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturaliza- 
tion of foreigners ; by keeping among us. in time of peace, standing 
armies and ships of war ; by affecting to render the military independent 
of and superior to the civil power ; by combining with others to subject 
us to a foreign jurisdiction, giving his assent to their pretended acts of 
legislation for quartering large bodies of armed troops among us ; for 
cutting off our trade with all parts of the world ; for imposing taxes on us 
without our consent ; for depriving us of the benefit of the trial by jury ; 
for transporting us beyond the seas for trial for pretended offenses ; for 
suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested 
with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever ; by plundering 
our seas, ravaging our coasts, burning our towns, and destroying the 
lives of our people; by inciting insurrection of our fellow-subjects with 
the allurements of forfeiture and confiscation ; by prompting our negroes 



APPENDIX 265 

to rise in arms amongst us — those very negroes whom, by an inhuman 
use of his negative, he had refused us permission to exclude by law ; by 
endeavoring to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers the merciless 
Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished de- 
struction of all ages, sexes, and conditions of existence ; by transport- 
ing hither a large army of foreign mercenaries to complete the work of 
death, desolation, and tyranny, then already begun, with circumstances 
of cruelty and perfidy unworthy the head of a civilized nation ; by 
answering our repeated petitions for redress with a repetition of in- 
juries ; and finally by abandoning the helm of government and de- 
claring us out of his allegiance and protection; by which several acts 
of misrule, the government of this country, as before exercised under 
the crown of Great Britain, was totally dissolved — did, therefore, hav- 
ing maturely considered the premises, and viewing with great concern 
the deplorable condition to which this once happy country would be 
reduced unless some regular, adequate mode of civil policy should be 
speedily adopted, and in compliance with the recommendation of the 
general congress, ordain and declare a form of government of Virginia : 

And whereas, a convention, held on the first Monday in October, in 
the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine, did propose to 
the people of this commonwealth an amended constitution, or form of 
government, which was ratified by them : 

And whereas, the general assembly of Virginia, by an act passed on 
the fourth of March, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty, 
did provide for the election, by the people, of delegates to meet in gen- 
eral convention, to consider, discuss, and propose a new constitution, 
or alterations and amendments to the existing constitution of this com- 
monwealth ; and by an act passed on the thirteenth of March, in the 
year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, did further provide for 
submitting the same to the people for ratification or rejection ; and the 
same having been submitted accordingly, was ratified by them : 

And whereas, the general assembly of Virginia, by an act passed on 
the twenty-first day of December, in the year one thousand eight hun- 
dred and sixty-three, did provide for the election, by the people, of 
delegates to meet in general convention, to consider, discuss, and adopt 
alterations and amendments to the existing constitution of this com- 
monwealth, the delegates so assembled did, therefore, having maturely 
considered the premises, adopt a revised and amended constitution as 
the form of government of Virginia : 



266 APPENDIX 

And whereas, the congress of the United States did, by an act 
passed on the second day of March, in the year one thousand eight 
hundred and sixty-seven, and entitled " an act to provide for the more 
efficient government of the rebel states,"' and by acts supplementary 
thereto, passed on the twenty-third day of March, and the nineteenth 
day of July, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, 
provide for the election, by the people of Virginia, qualified to vote 
under the provisions of said acts, of delegates to meet in convention, to 
frame a constitution or form of government for Virginia, in conformity 
with said acts ; and by the same acts did further provide for the sub- 
mitting of such constitution to the qualified voters for ratification or 
rejection : 

We, therefore, the delegates of the good people of Virginia, elected, 
and in convention assembled, in pursuance of said acts, invoking the 
favor and guidance of Almighty God, do propose to the people the 
following constitution and form of government for this commonwealth : 



ARTICLE I 

BILL OF RIGHTS 

A declaration of rights made by the representatives of the good people 
of Virginia, assembled in full and free convention ; which rights do 
pertain to them and their posterity, as the basis and foundation of 
government. 

i. That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and 
have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of 
society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity, 
namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring 
and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and 
safety. 

2. That this state shall ever remain a member of the United States 
of America, and that the people thereof are a part of the American 
Nation, and that all attempts, from whatever source or upon whatever 
pretext, to dissolve said union or to sever said nation, are unauthorized 
and ought to be resisted with the whole power of the state. 

3. That the constitution of the United States, and the laws of Con- 
gress passed in pursuance thereof, constitute the supreme law of the 
land, to which paramount allegiance and obedience are due from every 



APPENDIX 267 

citizen, anything in the constitution, ordinances, or laws of any state to 
the contrary notwithstanding. 

4. That all power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the 
people ; that magistrates are their trustees and servants, and at all 
times amenable to them. 

5. That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common 
benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation, or community ; of 
all the various modes and forms of government, that is best which 
is capable of producing the greatest degree of happiness and safety, 
and is most effectually secured against the dangers of maladministra- 
tion ; and that when any government shall be found inadequate or 
contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community hath an in- 
dubitable, inalienable, and indefeasible right to reform, alter, or abolish 
it, in such manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public 
weal. 

6. That no man, or set of men, are entitled to exclusive or sepa- 
rate emoluments or privileges from the community but in consideration 
of public services ; which, not being descendible, neither ought the 
offices of magistrate, legislator, or judge to be hereditary. 

7. That the legislative, executive, and judicial powers should be 
separate and distinct ; and that the members thereof may be restrained 
from oppression, by feeling and participating the burthens of the people, 
they should, at fixed periods, be reduced to a private station, return 
into that body from which they were originally taken, and the vacancies 
be supplied by frequent, certain, and regular elections, in which all or 
any part of the former members to be again eligible or ineligible, as the 
laws shall direct. 

8. That all elections ought to be free, and that all men having suffi- 
cient evidence of permanent common interest with, and attachment to 
the community, have the right of suffrage, and cannot be taxed or de- 
prived of their property for public uses, without their own consent, or 
that of their representatives so elected, nor bound by any law to which 
they have not in like manner assented, for the public good. 

9. That all power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws by 
any authority, without consent of the representatives of the people, is 
injurious to their rights and ought not to be exercised. 

10. That in all capital or criminal prosecutions, a man hath a right 
to demand the cause and nature of his accusation, to be confronted 
with the accusers and witnesses, to call for evidence in his favor, and to 



268 APPENDIX 

a speedy trial by an impartial jury of his vicinage, without whose unani- 
mous consent he cannot be found guilty ; nor can he be compelled to 
give evidence against himself; that no man be deprived of his liberty, 
except by the law of the land or the judgment of his peers. 

ii. That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines 
imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted. 

12. That general warrants, whereby an officer or messenger may be 
commanded to search suspected places without evidence of a fact com- 
mitted, or to seize any person or persons not named, or whose offence 
is not particularly described and supported by evidence, are grievous 
and oppressive, and ought not to be granted. 

13. That in controversies respecting property, and in suits between 
man and man, the trial by jury is preferable to any other, and ought 
to be held sacred. 

14. That the freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks of 
liberty, and can never be restrained but by despotic governments, and 
any citizen may speak, write, and publish his sentiments on all subjects, 
being responsible for the abuse of that liberty. 

15. That a well-regulated militia, composed of the body of the peo- 
ple trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defence of a free 
state ; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as 
dangerous to liberty, and that in all cases the military should be under 
strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power. 

16. That the people have a right to uniform government; and, 
therefore, that no government separate from, or independent of, the 
government of Virginia ought to be erected or established within the 
limits thereof. 

17. That no free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be pre- 
served to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, 
temperance, and virtue, and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental 
principles. 

18. That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the 
manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and convic- 
tion, not by force or violence ; and, therefore, all men are equally entitled 
to the free exercise of religion according to the dictates of conscience ; 
and that it is the mutual duty of all to practise Christian forbearance, 
love, and charity towards each other. 

19. That neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as lawful 
imprisonment may constitute such, shall exist within this state. 



APPENDIX 269 

20. That all citizens of the state are hereby declared to possess 
equal civil and political rights and public privileges. 

21. The rights enumerated in this bill of rights shall not be con- 
strued to limit other rights of the people not therein expressed. 

The declaration of the political rights and privileges of the inhabi- 
tants of this state is hereby declared to be a part of the constitution of 
this commonwealth, and shall not be violated on any pretence what- 



ever. 



NDEX 



Accomac, included in grant to Culpeper and 
Arlington, 79; Berkeley takes refuge in, 86, 

§7- 
Adoption of captives, 19. 
Agriculture, 187, 250. 
Albemarle Sound, colony of Virginians settle 

on, 173. 
Algonkins, territory occupied by the, 15, n. 1. 
Alien and Sedition Laws, 165; opposition to, 

166. 
Amelia Courthouse, 231. 
America, discovery of, 25, n. 1; supposed 



takes 



breadth of, 42; struggle of England and Bermuda Isluids, 50 

France for supremacy in, 100-105. 
Amusements, of colonial planter, 109. 
Anne, Queen, 175. 
Antislavery sentiment in Virginia, 175, 177, 

178. 
Argall, Samuel, 45; captures Pocahontas, 54; 

his administration as governor, 52; escapes 

with his booty, 52, 53. 
Arlington, the Earl of, obtains a grant of ail 

Virginia, 79; the grant annulled, 94. 
Armidas and Barlow, their explorations, 27 



Bedsteads, colonial, 112. 

Bemis Heights, battle of, 146. 

Bennet, Richard, Governor, 73. 

Berkeley, Sir William, Governor, 
Opechancanough prisoner, 68; resigns 
office, 73; returns to power, 75; becomes 
unpopular, 78; arrests Bacon, 85; takes 
refuge in Accomac, 86. 87; returns to 
Jamestown, 87; driven out by Bacon, 88; 
quells the rebellion, 89; his cruelty, 90; 
his recall and death, 90. 

Bermuda Hundred, 222. 



Beverly, the historian, quoted, 22. 

Bill of Rights, the, 139. 

Bland, Giles, his attempt to capture Berkeley, 

87. 
Blue Ridge, crossed by Governor Spotswood, 

96. 
Booth, John Wilkes, 239, n. 1. 
Boston, destruction of tea at, 127;. port of, 

closed, 127. . 

Botetourt, Lord, Governor, dissolves the 

House of Burgesses. 125. 



Army of Northern Virginia, 234; opinion of. Braddock, General Edward, sent to Virginia 



military students in regard to, 235, n 
Arnold, Benedict, his invasion of Virginia, 150, 

Ashby, Turner, sketch of, 235, n. 2. 
Assassination of President Lincoln, 239, n. 1. 
Assembly, General, the first in America,^. 
Atlantic Ocean, the " Sea of Darkness," 26, 

n. 1. 
Atlantic Cable, 173. 
Authors, Virginia, 251, 252. 

Bacon, Nathaniel, Jr., early history of, 82; 
chosen leader against the Indians, 83; pro- 
claimed a rebel, 83 ; chosen a member of the 
Burgesses, 84; his arrest and apology, 84; | 
flight from Jamestown, 85; returns at the 



03; his defeat and death, 104. 

Brandy Station, battle of, 215. 

British officers visit Lee, 2ir. 

Brown, John, his raid, 178; captured and 
executed, 179; report of Senate Committee, 
180; political significance of his attack, 180. 

Bruce, Philip A., quoted, rr3. 

Bunker Hill, battle of, 137. 

Burgesses, House of, the first, 58. 

Burgoyne, General, 146; his surrender, 147, 
148. 

Burnside, General A. E, succeeds McClellan, 
2T2; defeated at Fredericksburg, 212. 

Butler, B. F., commanding at Fortress Mon- 
roe, 199; defeated at Big Bethel, 200; his 
army shut in at Bermuda Hundred, 222. 



head of an army, 85; ' appears before the Byrd, Colonel William, founds Richmond and 



Petersburg, 97. 



Burgesses and receives a commission, 86; 

again declared a rebel, 86; calls a conven- 
tion at Middle Plantation, 87; defeats and 

disperses the Indians. 87; burns Jamestown, 

88; his death and burial, 89. 
Bacon's Rebellion, 80-90; effects of, 93. 
Bacon, Nathaniel, Sr., 84. 
Bahamas, discovery of, 26, n. 
Baltimore, George Calvert, Lord, 66; obtains 

grant to Maryland, 67. 
Beauregard, P. G. T., General, 199; battle of Cape Henry, 36. 

Manassas, 200. Capitol Disaster, 245 



member of Committee of 



Cabell, William, 

Safety, 134, n. r. 
Cabot, John, landed on the continent, and 

took possession in the name of England, 26. 
Cadets, at New Market, 224. 
Calhoun, John C, 186. 
Calvert, Sir George. See Baltimore. 
Cape Charles, 36. 



271 



272 



INDEX 



" Carpet-baggers," rule of, 241, n. 1. 

Carrington, Paul, member of Committee of 
Safety, 134, n. 1. 

Cattle, of colony, sold by Argall, 52. 

Cavaliers, 71 ; why they came to Virginia, 72; 
importance of their immigration, 72. 

Chancellorsville, battle of, 214. 

Charles I., contest of, with Parliament, 71; 
execution of, 72. 

Charles II., Virginia loyal to, 72; restoration 
of, 75'. grants away the Northern Neck, 79; 
grants away all Virginia, 79; his opinion of 
Berkeley's conduct, 90. 

Charter, the first American, and its provisions, 
34; of 1609, 45; the Great, 58. 

Chesapeake Bay, exploration of, by Smith, 44. 

Chicheley, Sir Henry, 82. 

Chickahominy River, Smith sails up, 42. 

Chickahominy Indians, enter into a treaty 
with the English, 56. 

Chimney, Powhatan's, 42. 

Church, of England, establishment of, in Vir- 
ginia, 34; opposition to, 143; disestablish- 
ment of, 144. 

Cities, 93. 

Civil government, organized by Virginia, in 
her Northwest Territory, 161; suspension 
of, in Virginia, 238. 

Civil War, in the United States, approach of, 
183-188; beginning, progress, and end of, 
188-233; results of, 233. 

Clarke, George Rogers, " Hannibal of the 
West," 158; captures French forts, 159; 
midwinter march of, 161 ; captures Gov- 
ernor Hamilton, 161; importance of his 
conquest, 162. 

Clarke, William, explores the West with 
Lewis, 171. 

Classes, in colony, 107. 

Clergymen's salaries, 122. 

Climate of Virginia, 250. 

Cockburn, Admiral, his ravages, 170. 

Cold Harbor, battle of, 222. 

Colleges and schools, 246. 

Colonists, character of, 34; departure from 
England of, 35; arrival in Virginia, and 
settle at Jamestown, 36-37; sickness 
among. 41; die of starvation, 49; massa- 
cres of, 60, 68. 

Colonization, first attempts at, 26-31; crisis 
of, 57. 

Colony, early struggles of, 36-53: firmly es- 
tablished, 56 63; under the Commonwealth, 
70 74; the Lost, 29. 

Columbian Exposition, 247. 

Columbus, Christopher, sketch of life, 25, 
n. 

Committee of Correspondence, 126-127. 

Committee of Safety, 134, n. 

Commonwealth of England, 71, n. ; Virginia 
under the, 71-74 

Confederacy, the Southern, formed, 189, 190; 
Virginia becomes a member of, 194; Rich- 
mond becomes the capital of, 199; end of, 
233- 

Confederation, 163; insufficiency of, 164. 

Confederate money, depreciation of, 228, n. 

Confederate museum, 248. 



Congress, Virginia proposes a general, 128; 
meeting of the first, 128; Lord Chatham's 
estimate of its action, 128. 

Conolly, Dunmore's agent, 130. 

Constitution of the United States formed, 164; 
Virginia ratifies, 165; conditions of her 
ratification, 186; ambiguity of, 183; theo- 
ries of, 183, 184. 

Constitutional Government, beginning of, in 
America, 58. 

Convention, the meeting of, in St. John's 
Church, 131 ; to take action on a declaration 
of independence, 139; to consider the adop- 
tion of the Federal Constitution, 165; to 
consider the question of secession, 194. 

Convicts, 60, 108. 

Cornstalk, Indian chief, at battle of Point 
Pleasant, 130. 

Cornwallis, Lord, 150; invades Virginia, 153, 
154; retires to Yorktown, 154; surrender 
of, 154, 155. 

Correspondence, the Committee of, estab- 
lished, 126, 127. 

Cotton States, secession of, 189. 

Council, of Virginia, names of the original 
members, 36. 

Crater, battle of, 227. 

Croatan, 30. 

Cromwell, Oliver, chosen protector of Eng- 
land, 71, n. 

Culpeper, Lord, receives a grant of all Vir- 
ginia, 79; his avariciousness, 94. 

Dahlgren, Ulric, raid of, 219. 

Dale, Sir Thomas, High Marshal, 51 ; his 
cruel administration, 51. 

Dare, Virginia, the first white child born in 
America. 30. 

Davis, Jefferson, sketch of life, 191, n. ; 
President of the Confederate States, 191; 
capture and imprisonment of, 233. 

Debt, the state, 247. 

Declaration of Independence, proposed by 
Virginia, 139; adopted by Congress, 141. 

Delaware, Lord, 45; wrecked in the Sea 
Venture, 46; reaches Virginia, 50; his ad- 
ministration, 51. 

Delaware, Lady, robbed by Argall, 52; pre- 
sents Pocahontas at Court, 56. 

Delaware River, Washington crosses, 145. 

Dictator, proposed for Virginia, 144. 

Diggs, Dudley, member of Committee of 
Safety, 134 

Dinwiddie, Governor, sends Washington as 
envoy to French commander, 102. 

Disc Tery, the ship, 35. 

I disparity between the North and South in 
Civil War, 203. 

ters, Thomas Jefferson champions the 
cause of, 143, 144. 

Dogs, Lane is i iiis, 29. 

Domestic life in colony, 109, no. 

Drake, Sir Francis, comes to the relief of the 
Roanoke colonists, 29. 

Drayton, Michael, 35. 

Dress, of planter, and of his wife, 114. 

Dnimmond, William, leader in Bacon's Re- 
bellion, 83; executed, 90, n. 



INDEX 



273 



Dunmore, Lord, 127; dissolves the House of 
Burgesses, 127, 128; has the gunpowder 
removed, 132. 133; his flight from Williams- 
burg, 133; his ravages of the coast, 135; is 
defeated at Great Bridge, 135; burns Nor- 
folk, 135; driven from Gwynn's Island, and 
the last of him in Virginia, 135. 

Duquesne, Fort, 102; Brad lock's expedition 
against, 103; blown up by the French, 
105. 

Duties, on tea and other articles, 125. 

Dutch, negroes brought to Virginia by, 59. 

Dwelling house, colonial, 111. 

Early, General J. A., defeats Hunter, and 
threatens Washington, 225; sketch of life, 
225, n.; defeated by Sheridan, 226. 

East India Company, 57. 

Education of Indians, 20; in colonial times, 
114; Berkeley, on Free Schools, 246; Public 
School System, 246; higher and technical 
education, 246, 247. 

Elizabeth, Queen, 26; names Virginia, 28. 

Emancipation, of slaves, 234. 

Emory and Henry College, 246. 

England's claim to America, basis of, 26. 

Entail, Jefferson's attack upon, 144; its aboli- 
tion, 144. 

Episcopal Church, established in Virginia, 34; 
its downfall, 143, 144. 

Executives of Virginia, list of, 257-261. 

Fairfax, Thomas, Lord, his friendship for 

Washington, 101. 
Festivals, Indians, 21. 
First settlers, their character, 34. 
Flirting, prohibited in 1624, 59. 
Florida, the purchase of, 171. 
Food, in colonial days, 113. 
Fort Duquesne, 103, 105. 
Fort Sumter, 191, 192. 
Fountain of Youth, 28. 
Fox-hunting, 109. 
France, her possessions in America, 100; 

surrender of them to England, 105; aids 

the colonies, 148. 
Franklin, Benjamin, his advice to Braddock, 

103 
Fredericksburg, battle of, 212. 
Freedmen's Bureau, 242. 
Frobisher, Sir Martin, 26. 
Fugitive Slaves Law, 178, 187. 
Furniture, colonial, 112. 

Gabriel's Insurrection, 176. 

Gates, Sir Thomas, 33, 45, 50. 

Gazette, The Virginia, the first newspaper in 

the colony, 98. 
Gentlemen, as pioneers, 35. 
George III., his character, 121. 
Germanna, Spotswood's home at, 97. 
German settlers, in the valley, 98. 
Gettysburg, battle of, 216; marks the turning 

point in the war, 217. 
Gloucester, county of, 87, 89. 
Gold fever, at Jamestown, 44. 
Gosnold, Bartholomew, 35, 41. 
Governors of Virginia, list of, 257-261. 



Grant, General U. S., sketch of life, 219, 
n ; made general in chief of the Federal 
troops, 220; his campaigns in Virginia, 
219-232. 

Mint de, 154. 

Great Bridge, battle of, 135. 

Great Meadows, 103. 

Greene, Roger, planted a colony on Albe- 
marle Sound, 173. 

Grenville, Sir Richard, founds a colony on 
Roanoke Island, 28. 

Gunpowder, its removal from the Old Maga- 
zine, 133. 

Gwynn's Island, action at, 135. 

Habeas Corpus, writ of, introduced into Vir- 
ginia, 96. 

Hamilton, Governor of Canada, captured by 
Clarke, 161. 

" Hannibal of the West," 158". 

Harper's Ferry, John Brown takes possession 
of, 178; captured by Stonewall Jackson, 
210. 

Harvey, Sir John, Governor, deposed by the 
people. 68; reinstated by the king, 68. 

Henry, Patrick, 122 n. ; in the Parson's 
Ca-e, 122; his address before the Bur- 
gesses on the Stamp Act, 124; his prophetic 
words, 131; marches against Lord Dun- 
more, 133; elected governor, 141; proposi- 
tion to make him dictator, 145; opposes 
the adoption of the Federal Constitution, 
165. 

Hill, General A. P., sketch of life, 211, n. 

Hooker, General Joseph, 212, 214, 215. 

Horse racing, 108. 

Hospitality, in Virginia, 109. 

Houses, colonial, 111. 

Houston. General Sam, 171. 

Hudson River, 146. 

Huger, General, 200. 

Huguenots, coming of, to Virginia, 95. 

Independence, Virginia takes action for, 139; 
the Declaration of, 141. 

Indians, origin of, 15, n ; number of the Vir- 
ginia, 15; appearance and dress of, 16; 
character, 16, 17; weapons, 17; habits and 
customs, 18; method of warfare, 19; run- 
ning the gantlet, 20; education, 20; their 
self-control, 21; seasons and festivals, 21, 
22: religion, 22; massacre of the colonists 
by, 60, 69; battle with, at Point Pleasant, 

I3 1 - . 
Industries, 250, 251. 

Ingram, leader in Bacon's Rebellion, 84, 89. 
Instructions, for the Virginia colonists, 34, 

42. 
Insurrections, servile, 176, 177, 178. 
Isabella, Queen. 26 n. 
Isolation, of settlers, 65. 

Jackson, General Stonewall, 196; sketch of 
life, 201, n 1; at Manassas. 202; Valley 
campaign of, 207: in Seven Days' Battles, 
208; atChancellorsville, 215; death of, 215. 

James I., signs charter for London Company, 
34; overthrows the London Company, 66. 



274 



INDEX 



Jamestown, the founding of, 37; scarcity of 
provisions at, 41; famine at, 49; abandoned 
by the colonists, 50; scenes at, during 
I m's Rebellion, 84-86; burned by Bacon, 
88; seat of government moved from, 97. 

James River, 36. 

Japazaws, Indian chief, betrays Pocahontas, 

54- 

Jefferson, Thomas, sketch of, 144 n. 1; author 
of Declaration of Independence, 141; attacks 
the established Church and the law of pri- 
mogeniture, 143, 144; succeeds Patrick 
Henry as governor, 151; purchases Louisi- 
ana for the United States, 171; founds the 
University, T73 

Johnston, General Albert Sidney, sketch of, 
195, n. 1. 

Johnston, General Joseph E., sketch of, 195, 
n. 2; wounded at Seven Pines, 208; sur- 
renders to Sherman, 233. 

Kaskaskia, captured by Clarke. 159. 

Kendall, George, member of first Council, 
36. 

Kentucky, a county of Virginia, 158; admit- 
ted into the Union, 168; overrun by Federal 
troops, 194. 

King's Mountain, battle of, 152. 

Kitchen, colonial, 112. 

Kiwassa, Indian uod, 22. 

Knights of the Golden Horseshoe, 97. 

Labor, regular hours established for, by Lord 
Delaware, 151. 

Lafayette, Marquis de, 151, 153, 154. 

Land, earliest titles to, 58. 
Landholders, 107. 

Lane, Ralph, plants colony on Roanoke 
Island, 28; tries to find the South Sea, 29. 

Lawrence, leader in Bacon's Rebellion, 83; 
ies from colon] . 

Lee, Richard Henry. 141. 

Lee, Robert E., sketch of life, 170, n. 1; 
captures John Brown, 180; made com- 
mander of the army of Northern Virginia, 
208; in Seven Days' Battles, 20S, 2 
second battle of Manassas, 209; invades 
Maryland, 210, 211; at battle of Fredericks- 
burg, 212: at Cham ellorsville, 214; invades 
Pennsylvania, 216; inbattlesof the Wilder- 
ness, 220-222; surrender of, 231; last days 
of, 245. 

Legislature, the first, in America, 58. 

Lewis, General Andrew, sketch of, 130, n. 1; 
hi-, victory at Point Pleasant, 131; drives 
Dunmore from Gwynn's Island, 135. 

Lewis and I iition, 171. 

Lexington, battle of, 131. 

Lincoln, Abraham, President, sketch of life, 
189,11. 1 ; i-sues Emancipation Proclama- 
tion, 234; his assassination, 239, n 1. 

Literature, 251 , 252. 

Logan, Indian chief, murder of his family. 
130. 

I Ion I impany, formed, 33; the 
under, 34-66; downfall of, 66. 
lony, 29-31. 

Louisiana, purchase of the territory of, 171. 



Madison, James, leads the party in favor oi 
Federal Constitution, 165; elected Presi- 
dent, 168. 

Magruder, General J. B., 200. 

Manakin Town, settlement of the Huguenots 
at, 95. 

Manassas, battle of, 200; second battle of, 
209. 

Manor house, in. 

Map of Virginia, John Smith's, 44. 

Marshall, John, Chief Justice, sketch of life, 
251, n. 2 

Martial Law, Virginia put under, 240. 

Martin, John, member of the first Council, 
36. 

Marye's Heights, 214. 

Maryland, 67. 

Mason, George, sketch of, 126, n. 1; member 
of Committee of Safety, 134. 

Mason, General John, quoted, 108, n. 1. 

Mason and Dixon's line, 164. 

Massachusetts, Virginia espouses the cause 
of, 128: Revolution begins in. 131. 

Massacres, the Indian, do, 69. 

McCIellan, General (i. B., made commander 
of the Army of the Potomac. 203; his Pen- 
insula campaign, 207-209; at battle of 
Sh trpsburg, 210, 211. 

Meade, Bishop, quoted, no. 

Meade, General, at battle of Gettysburg, 216. 

Mexican War, 172, n. 1. 

Minutemen, 132. 

Money, depreciati »n of, in Civil War, 228, n. 1. 

Monitor, battle with the Virginia, 205. 

M mroe, James, President, 169; purchases 
Florida from Spain, 171. 

Monticello, 154. 

Monuments, 252, 253. 

Morgan, Daniel, 146, 153. 

Mother of States and of Statesmen, 168, 169. 

Mount Vernon, 166, 247. 

Nansemond, settlement at, 46. 

Navigation Laws, 77, 78, 94. 

Necessity. Fort, 103. 

-, the first brought to Virginia, 59; 
quarters of, 113; insurrections of, 176 178; 
freed and made citizens, 234. 

Nelson, Thomas, Governor, his patriotism, 
156: at Yorktown. 156 1:7. 

New England, settlement of, 34; her connec- 
tion with slavery. 175, 176; makes first 
threats of secession, 185. 

Newport, Christopher, commands expedition 
to Virginia, 55; member of first Council, 
36; crowns Powhatan, 45; appointed vice 
admiral of Virginia, 45; wrecked in the 
Sea Ventur 

Newspaper, the first in Virginia, 08. 

Nicholson, Governor, 95; founds Williams- 
burg, 96. 

Non-importation Agreement, 126. 

Norfolk, burned by Dunmore, 1 ;;. 

North Carolina, first settlement in. 173. 

nted away by Charles II., 

79- 
Northwest Territory, conquest of, 158-162; 
-i>n of, 163. 



INDEX 



275 



Oatli, at Middle Plantation, 87; ironclad, 240. 

Old Dominion, 75. 

Old Magazine, Dunmore removes powder 
from, 132. 

Opechancanough, incites massacre of 1622, 
60; massacre of 1644, 68; his capture and 
death, 69. 

Ordinance of Secession, passed by conven- 
tion, 194; copy of, 265. 

Oregon, 171. 

Overseers, 108. 

Pacific Ocean, called the " South Sea," 28. 

Page, John, Governor, sketch of, 143, n. 2 ; 
member of the Committee of Safety, 134; 
defends the Episcopal Church, 143. 

Pardons* Case, the, 122, 123 

" Pathfinder of the Sea," the, 172. 

Patience, the ship, 50. 

Patterson, General, 199. 

Paupers, 168. 

Pendleton, Edmund, sketch of, 143, n. 1; 
president of Committee of Safety, 134; de- 
fends the Established Church and the law 
of primogeniture, 143. 

Pennsylvania, boundary dispute with Vir- 
ginia, 163; invaded by Lee, 216. 

People, poverty of, 168, 243. 

Percy, George, 35, 40, 49. 

Personal Liberty Laws, 178. 

Petersburg, founded, 98; captured by General 
Phillips, 151 ; siege of, 226. 

Planter, life of, 108. 

Plantation, life on, 109. 

Plantation system, advantages of, 115; wreck 
of, 242, 243. 

Plymouth Company, 34. 

Pocahontas, saves the life of John Smith, 43; 
the romantic story of her life, 54-57. 

Point Comfort, 34. 

Point Pleasant, defeat of Indians at, 131. 

Pope, General, 209. 

Port of Boston, closing of, 127. 

Powhatan, head chief, 15; appearance and 
character of, 23; visited by Newport and 
Smith, 39; releases Smith, 43; crowned by 
Newport, 45; death of, 60. 

Powhatan's Chimney, 42. 

Presidents, furnished by Virginia, 168, 169 

Primogeniture, abolition of the law of, 144. 

Prisoners, treatment of in Civil War, 233. 

Public school system, 246. 

Pulpit, encourages colonization, 33. 

Puritans, their contest with royalty, 71. 

Queen Anne, 175. 
Queen Elizabeth, 26, 28. 

Raleigh, Sir Walter, sketch of life, 26, n. 1; 
his attempts at colonization, 26-31; intro- 
duces tobacco at the court of Elizabeth, 64. 

Raleigh Tavern, meetings of House of Bur- 
gesses at, 125, 128. 

Randolph-Macon College, 246. 

Ratcliffe, John, 36, 44, 49. 

Rebellion, Bacon's, 81-91; the Tobacco, 93, 
94- 

Reconstruction, 240, 241. 



Religious freedom, Virginia the first state to 
establish, 143. 

Resolutions of 1798, 166, 167. 

Resolves of 1769, 125; copy of, 263. 

Restoration of Charles II., 75. 

Revolution, the English, of 1688, 94; the 
American, causes of, 121-129; historv of, 
.137-158. 

Richmond, founding of, 97; captured by Ar- 
nold, 151 ; becomes the capital of the South- 
ern Confederacy, 199; evacuation of, 230; 
conflagration in, 231. 

Richmond College, 246. 

Rights, Virginia bill of, 139. 

Roads, in colonial times, 114. 

Roanoke Island, first colony on, 28, 29; the 
Lost Colony, 29, 30. 

Robertson, James, 173. 

Rochambeau, Count de, 154. 

Rocky Mountains, 171. 

Rolfe, John, marries Pocahontas, 55; begins 
the systematic cultivation of tobacco, 64. 

Rolfe, Thomas, son of Pocahontas, 56. 

Roundheads, 71. 

Royal grants, 67, 79. 

Royal government, end of, in Virginia, 134. 

Royalists in power, 77. 

Safety, Committee of, its powers, 134; mem- 
bers of, 134, n. 1. 

Sandys, Sir Edwin, 57; sends young women 
to Virginia, 58, 59. 

Santa Maria, the ship, 26, n. 

Saratoga, Burgoyne's surrender at, 147, 148. 

Sassafras roots, used for tea, 228, n. 1. 

Scallawags, 241, n. 2. 

Schools and colleges, 246, 247. 

Scotch-Irish, settle in the valley, 98; im- 
portance of their immigration, 98. 

Seal, adopted by Virginia, 142. 

Sea I "enture, wreck of, 49, 50. 

Sedgwick, General, 214. 

Servants, indented, 60. 

Seven Pines, battle of, 207 

Seven Days' Battles, 208, 209. 

Sevier, John, 173. 

Seward, Secretary of State, 191. 

Sharpsburg, battle of, 210, 211. 

Shenandoah valley, 97; settlement of, 98* 
devastated by Sheridan, 226. 

Sheridan, General, 226. 

Sherman, General, 228, 233. 

Slaves, African, the first brought to Virginia, 
59; kindly treated, 113, 176; insurrections 
of, 176, 177, 178; emancipation of, 234. 

Slavery, 176-181. 

Slave trade, encouraged by England, 175; 
opposition to in Virginia, 175; its abolition 
opposed by New England and the cotton 
states, 176. 

Smith, Captain John, his early history, 39; 
his capture, 42; rescued by Pocahontas, 43; 
explores the Chesapeake, 44; is made presi- 
dent of the colony, 44; returns to England, 
46; his character, 47. 

Smith, Governor 

Somers, Admiral. Sir George, 33, 45, 50. 

South Sea, 28; search for, 29, 42. 



276 



INDEX 



Southampton, insurrection in, 177. 

Southern Historical Society, 248. 

Spots wood, Alexander, Governor, 96; crosses 

the Blue Ridge, 96; his home at Germanna, 

97, n. 2. 
Stamp Act, passed, 123; repealed, 125. 
Stark, General, runs the gantlet, 20. 
" Starving time " at Jamestown, 49. 
State rights, 167, 183, 185, 186, 194. 
Stuart, General J. E. B , 215, n. 1. 
Suffrage, 78. 
Sumter, Fort, 191 ; bombardment of, 102. 

Tnbb, John, member of the Committee of 
Safety, 134. 

Tarleton, Colonel, defeated at Cowpens, 153: 
his raid, 154. 

Taxes, 123, 125. 

Tea, tax on, 126; thrown overboard at Bos- 
ton, 127. 

Tempest, Shakespeare's origin of, 49. 

Territory, Northwestern, 162, 163. 

Texas, annexation of, 171. 

Tobacco, history of, 64-65; used as money, 
122; source of wealth, 168; factories, 250. 

Tobacco Rebellion, 93. 

Tomocomo, tries to take a census of England, 
20, 21. 

Towns, absence of, 251. 

Turner, Nat, insurrection of, 177. 

Tyler, John, President, 169. 

Union, formation of 164, 165; what Virginians 
did for the, 171; theories of, 183, 184. 

United States, Constitution of, 164, 165. 

University of Virginia, founding of, 173; 
mention of, 246. 

Valley, Shenandoah, 97, 98, 226; Jackson's 
campaign in, 207, 235, n. 1. 

Veto power of the king, 122. 

Vicksburg, fall of, 217. 

Vincennes, captured by Clarke, 160. 

Virginia, origin of name, 28; original bounda- 
ries of, 28; first charter of, 34; settlement 
of, 37; colonization of under the London 
Company, 34-63; first House of Burgesses 
of, 58; becomes a royal colony, 66; under 
the Commonwealth, 71-75; rebels under 



Bacon, 81-91 ; settlement of the valley, 98; 
colonial life in, 107-116; opposition to the 
king's veto power, 122; espouses the cause 
of Massachusetts, 127, 128; overthrows the 
royal government, 130-135; proclaims her- 
self an independent commonwealth, 141 ; 
takes active part in the Revolution, 138, 
139; cedes her Northwest Territory, 163; 
ratifies the Federal Constitution, 165; in- 
fluence upon other states, 173; tries to 
maintain peace in, 1861, 191; secedes, 194; 
in Civil War. 194 237; reconstruction and 
restoiation of, 238-244; recent events in, 
245-254. 

/ irgnua, the ironclad, 205, 206. 

/ 'irginia Gazette, The, 98. 

Virginia Military Cadets at New Market, 224, 
225. 

Virginians, what they did for the Union, 171, 
172; tribute to, 235; character of, 243, 253; 

Virginia antiquities, preservation of, 248. 

Virginia, West, 196, 197, n. 1. 

Walker, Dr. Thomas, 171. 

Washington, George, early history of, 101, 
102; sent as envoy to the French, 102; 
covers Braddock's retreat, 104; put in com. 
mand of the Continental troops, 137, 138; 
Cornwallis surrenders to, 154, 155; Presi- 
dent of the United States, 167; his death 
and character, 167, 168. 

Washington Lee University, 246. 

Webster, Daniel, 186. 

Werowocomoco, 42. 

West Virginia, becomes a separate state, 196, 
197. 

\\ hite, John, 30. 

Wilderness, battles of, 222. 

William and Mary College, 96, 246. 

Winfield, Edward Maria, member of the first 
Council, 36; president of the colony, 37; 
deposed by the people, 44. 

Wingandacon, 28. 

Wives, the first in Virginia, 58. 

Wythe, George, devises seal of Virginia, 142. 

Veardley, Governor, calls meeting of the first 

House of Burgesses, 58. 
Vorktown, siege of, 154, 155. 



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